In a significant political development ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, sitting Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), dealing a major blow to the Congress in the state. Bordoloi formally joined the BJP on Wednesday in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Assam BJP President Dilip Saikia.
The move comes just days after Bordoloi resigned from the Congress, less than three weeks before the crucial state elections scheduled for April 9. His departure underscores growing turbulence within the opposition camp in Assam at a politically sensitive time.
Explaining his decision, Bordoloi cited deep dissatisfaction within the party. “There is no one reason. I was feeling suffocated, and I was being humiliated,” he said, pointing to internal disagreements and a lack of support from party leadership.
He specifically referred to remarks made by Imraan Masood during a Congress Election Committee meeting on March 13. Bordoloi alleged that Masood dismissed his concerns about a candidate’s alleged criminal links as “false and fabricated,” while senior leaders present, including state leadership, remained silent.
“That hurt me a lot,” Bordoloi said, indicating that the episode was a turning point in his decision to leave the party.
Welcoming Bordoloi into the party, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described the move as a major boost for the BJP. He highlighted Bordoloi’s long association with the Congress, dating back to 1975, and said his entry would strengthen the party’s position in the upcoming elections.
“We will recommend to the central leadership that he should contest the assembly elections,” Sarma said, adding that the BJP aims to bring more Congress leaders into its fold. He also took a swipe at the Congress, stating that “there is no reason for someone with self-respect to stay” in the party.
Bordoloi clarified that his decision was not driven by electoral ambitions. “Getting a ticket was not a matter of life and death for me. What mattered was to hold my head high,” he said.
Currently serving his second term as a Member of Parliament, Bordoloi noted that he could have continued in his position despite the internal issues. However, he chose to step away, emphasizing dignity over political convenience.
In his brief resignation letter addressed to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Bordoloi wrote, “With an overwhelming sense of sadness today, I hereby tender my resignation from all posts, privileges and the primary membership of the Indian National Congress.”
The Congress sought to downplay the impact of Bordoloi’s exit. Senior leaders, including Jitendra Singh and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee chief Gaurav Gogoi, described the development as a result of “differences within the family.”
They also alleged that the move was part of a broader strategy orchestrated by the BJP leadership, particularly the Chief Minister, to politically undermine Bordoloi through media narratives.
A former state cabinet minister and two-time MP from Nagaon, Bordoloi’s shift carries symbolic and strategic significance. His son, Prateek Bordoloi, remains a Congress candidate from the Margherita constituency, adding a personal dimension to the political divide.
With the Assam elections fast approaching, Bordoloi’s defection is likely to intensify political competition and could trigger further realignments within the state’s political landscape.
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