Suspended Congress legislators set to join BJP

Gogoi talks tough, says party will not tolerate 'indiscipline'

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, August 31: Four suspended Congress legislators - Pallav Lochan Das, Pradan Barua, Jayanta Malla Barua and Pijush Hazarika - appear set to join the BJP. According to sources, they are likely to join the saffron bandwagon either in September-end or October.

The other rebel Congress legislators, who had been slapped show-cause notices by the party, were also in talks with the BJP, but sources said there were "contentious issues" that needed to be sorted out, especially the issue of tickets for the assembly election.

Suspended Congress MLA Pijush Hazarika has already dared the APCC to expel him. "APCC president Anjan Dutta is running the party according to his whims and fancies," Hazarika said. In a similar outburst, lbari legislator Jayanta Malla Barua said, "Vengefulness has landed the State Congress in such a mess. One cannot keep the party united like this."

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who left for New Delhi today, reiterated that the party will not tolerate any indiscipline. "If they do such things (side with Himanta Biswa Sarma), they are bound to be suspended. I am leaving for the capital to discuss organizatiol matters with the AICC," Gogoi said before leaving.

He insisted that the Congress will "do well" in the assembly elections.

When asked about the "secret meeting" with the AGP, Gogoi said, "We keep talking to other political parties…but that does not mean we are looking for an alliance."