Hundreds join BJP amidst infighting in party

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Sept 10: Amidst protest by the district level BJP leaders and workers, hundreds of Congress workers on Thursday joined the Bharatiya Jata Party in the presence of State BJP president Siddhartha Bhattacharya and Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma.

It may be mentioned that many BJP leaders and workers are opposing the induction of 9 dissident Congress MLAs in BJP. The dissent is prominent in the constituencies of Biswath, Bihali, Raha, Joi, lbari, Sadiya, Tezpur, Siphajhar and Bongaigaon as these are A category seat of the BJP and already there are many BJP leaders who are aspirants themselves.

The BJP leadership has so far not been able to give a convincing reply to its old loyalist.

BJP leaders and workers who are opposing the induction of these 9 Congress MLAs and their supporters are of the opinion that their induction into the party will only ruin the image of the party in the respective constituencies and will not help the BJP in anyway.

A top source in the party has informed The Sentinel that the party workers of Bongaigaon constituency are also opposing the joining of AASU’s ex-president Shankar Prasad Rai. Rai and another AASU leader Tapan Gogoi is likely to join the BJP within this month.

On the other hand, infighting in the BJP has also evoked tension in Jorhat district. A source informed that one Gajand Mundra, a non-Assamese businessman is flexing his muscles to contest from the Teok constituency and has been spending a lot of money. It has been learnt that Mundra has been openly boasting that his candidature has been confirmed as he is close to State BJP president Siddhartha Bhattacharya, party observer for Assam Mahendra Singh and Jorhat MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa. The source added that this has demoralized the grassroots workers as well as other district leaders and sooner or later they might resign from the BJP if Mundra is given candidature.

On terms of anonymity a top party leader said that the party should give ticket to the genuine workers and leaders who have been loyal to the party since ages, instead of giving it to the new comers.

It may be mentioned that, the district level leaders and workers from these constituencies are likely to resign if the State leadership doesn’t pay heed to their opposition.

Meanwhile, the top leaders who joined the BJP on Thursday include APCC ex-secretary Diganta Kalita, APYC ex-president Rajib Sarma, ex-general secretary of APYC Sanjib Mazumdar, ex-vice president of APYC Gautam Bora, ex-secretary APYC Niladri Gupta, NSUI ex-tiol secretary Taranga Gogoi, ex president of AIUYF Badruz Zaman to me a few.