Several opposition leaders join BJP in Assam

A host of opposition leaders, including two elected representatives of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) and tea tribe youth leaders, Sunday joined the ruling BJP in Assam. Assam BJP president Bhabesh Kalita welcomed the new members into the party, a statement issued by it said.

Among those who joined the saffron party are two Members of Council Legislative Assembly (MCLA) of BTR, Rajib Brahma and Prabhat Basumatary, and tea tribe leaders Gautam Dhanowar and Pradip Majhi.

Former Congress secretary Sailen Kalita, student leader Hirak Das and cultural activist Sekhar Jyoti Baishya were among the others who entered into the fold of the ruling party.


Hitting out at the Congress, Dhanowar and Majhi alleged that the grand old party has no vision for the future, and its leaders consider the party to be their personal property.

"We want to serve our motherland, and we have realised that it is possible only by being a part of the BJP," they said.

Sailen Kalita, who was a Congress candidate in the 2016 state polls, claimed that it no longer thinks about the welfare of Assam.