Guwahati: In a significant political development ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, state minister Nandita Garlosa joined the Indian National Congress on Sunday after being denied a ticket by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
As per reports, she is now set to contest from the Haflong constituency in Dima Hasao district.
Her switch came just a day before the deadline for filing nominations, adding a new dimension to the electoral contest in the hill district.
The Congress had earlier fielded its state unit general secretary Nirmal Langthasa from Haflong. However, he stepped aside to make way for Garlosa, a move the party described as being in the “greater public interest”.
Announcing her induction, the Congress said Garlosa had been a strong voice for Dima Hasao over the past five years and had remained committed to her principles. The party also took a swipe at the BJP leadership, alleging that she had to “pay the price” within the party and accusing the state government of giving precedence to corporate interests over tribal land issues.
Garlosa had represented Haflong in the outgoing Assembly, but the BJP replaced her with first-time candidate Rupali Langthasa for the upcoming polls.
Photographs released by the Assam Congress media team showed Garlosa formally joining the party in Haflong in the presence of Nirmal Langthasa and other leaders.
Polling for the 126-member Assam Assembly is scheduled for April 9, while counting of votes will take place on May 4.