With the announcement of the assembly poll schedule in Assam and other states, political realignments have gathered pace, with leaders switching parties rapidly. The Congress in Assam appears to be under pressure, as several senior leaders continue to move towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). After Bhupen Borah, senior leader and Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi has now joined the BJP, drawing sharp criticism from his former party. At the same time, Leader of Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, has firmly dismissed rumours of his own exit, calling them baseless.
Describing Bordoloi’s departure as unfortunate, Saikia reiterated his loyalty to the Congress. “I will never leave Congress at any cost. These reports are false. Following the ideals of my parents, I have been with the Congress since my college days,” he said, adding, “I am not a foreigner, I was born a Congressi.” He also stated that he is ready to sacrifice everything for the party.
Meanwhile, Congress leaders at both the national and state levels have termed Bordoloi’s move as opportunistic. Bordoloi, however, said his decision was driven by personal hurt and humiliation. Referring to a Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting, he said he was deeply affected after Imran Masood dismissed his allegations against a candidate as “fabricated”. “I came to know that a communal leader like Imraan Masood said that everything I was talking about… was false and fabricated… This hurt me a lot,” he said, adding that the APCC president present at the meeting remained silent.
Clarifying that his resignation was not solely about ticket distribution, Bordoloi said multiple factors contributed to his decision. “For me, getting a ticket was not a question of life and death… What was important for me was to hold my head high. The Congress party has given me a lot,” he added.
Meanwhile, the BJP is set to announce its list of candidates for the upcoming elections today at 12 pm. Bordoloi is almost certain to be fielded from the Dispur constituency. On the other hand, his son, Prateek Bordoloi, will contest from the Margherita constituency on a Congress ticket in the upcoming polls.
