Buzz over Ra Goswami switching to BJP

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

JORHAT, Dec 25: If top sources at the BJP’s Jorhat district committee are to be believed amidst speculations among senior party workers that the Jorhat district Congress is set to receive a jolt. There are rumors that Jorhat MLA Ra Goswami Congress is all set to join the BJP, the decision which could well turn out to be a big blow to the Congress not only in the Jorhat but for the entire political equation of Assam politics. The rumor has also baffled ticket aspirants of the BJP from the prestigious Jorhat seat for the upcoming 2016 assembly elections.

It may be noted top BJP leaders who have sought ticket from Jorhat are Hiten Goswami, former AGP minister who later joined the BJP and Santanu Puzari, state BJP Secretary. Others include Monoroma Saikia the first woman party member of the BJP Jorhat, Korobi Chakraborty who contested the last elections securing 5000 thousand votes, Jolly Begum, Deepak Goswami BJP State committee member and general secretary Surjyajyoti Choudhury. Also seeking ticket is Ankur Gupta member of Jorhat Municipality Board. However, these rumors and claim of certain senior BJP party workers were refuted by Jorhat MLA Goswami.

Talking to The Sentinel, Goswami said, “The BJP is a commul party and I cannot understand why certain people with vested minds are spreading such a rumor. BJP is a party of traitors spreading commul hatred and dividing the people over religious grounds. This is nothing but a ploy by the BJP to curb my popularity amongst the people.”

“Even in the future also I would never associate with such a commul party and I would never indulge in petty politics of defection,” he added.

BJP MP of Jorhat constituency, Kamakhya Prashad Tasha in a telephonic conversation with this correspondent said, “Doors of the BJP arty is open all those who believe in the principles and policy of the BJP but I have no knowledge about the Ra Goswami defecting to the BJP or seeking a confirmed berth to fight 2016 Assembly elections on a BJP ticket”.

On the other hand, BJP state secretary Santanu Puzari said, “Anyone willing cannot simply come and join the BJP at this juncture and especially if one is from the ruling Congress. The party is already under pressure because of the nine newly joined MLA’s of Congress. In regards to Ra Goswami, the question doesn’t arise because he has no links at the top reaches of the BJP leadership. But the BJP is ready to give a chance to anyone who was earlier affiliated to the AGP. I would specifically like to mention that in the case of BJP coming to power, we would leave no stone unturned to expose the corruption and take action against MLA Ra Goswami”.

Meanwhile speculations are also doing the round that Borli Saikia Bora, OSD to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and wife of former press adviser to the CM, late Debo Bora is likely to be projected as a candidate from the Titabor constituency, which is till now being represented by Chief Minister Gogoi and Gogoi himself may contest from the Jorhat assembly seat.