This Article is From Nov 07, 2015

9 Rebel Congress Lawmakers in Assam Join BJP

Known to be loyalists of former Assam health and education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the nine leaders met BJP chief Amit Shah in New Delhi on September 5 along with Sarma.

Guwahati: Two months after meeting BJP president Amit Shah, nine Congress lawmakers from Assam today joined the BJP amid sings that more Congress leaders would follow before the 2016 assembly polls.

BJP leader Ram Madhav, who looks after the party's Assam affairs, welcomed the lawmakers including Jayanta Malla Baruah, Piyush Hazarika, Rajen Borthakur, Pallab Lochan Das, Abu Taher Bepari, Binanda Saikia, Bolin Chetia, Pradan Baruah and Kripa Nath Malla.

Known to be loyalists of former Assam health and education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the nine leaders met Mr Shah in New Delhi on September 5 along with Mr Sarma.

"Assam's political situation is changing very fast. The BJP is attracting peoples' attraction very fast and people are dissatisfied with the Congress," Mr Ram Madhav said while welcoming the nine into the party fold.

He said whoever has development at heart will join the BJP.

"The Assam chief minister knows that he is going to lose. So he is asking everyone to come on board. He (Gogoi) is sitting on the lap of All India United Democratic Front and he is calling us communal. Gogoi is ready to give Assam to Bangladeshis," said the BJP leader.

In Nagaon district, Mr Sarma said about 80 per cent of the Congress leaders in Assam will join the BJP in Assam by December-January.

"I think by December-January, 80 per cent of the Congressmen will join the BJP. People want a change and so members from the Congress, the AGP, the Left and from all other parties will join the BJP," Mr Sarma said.
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