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Three suspended Assam Congress MLAs Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, Basanta Das, and Sashi Kanta Das joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the State BJP headquarters in Guwahati on Saturday in the presence of state party president Dilip Saikia, ahead of the Assembly elections.
Congress leaders switching to the BJP ahead of the polls is likely to mount trouble for the party, especially after last month, former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah joined the ruling party. Union Minister of State (MoS) Pabitra Margherita told ANI, "Leaders and functionaries from other parties, especially Congress, are joining the BJP today. They are showing their support for our ideology." Further, Margherita said that Congress' list of 42 candidates for the upcoming elections lacks "freshness." The All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Tuesday announced its list of 42 candidates for the upcoming Assam Legislative Assembly elections. "The list of candidates released by Congress doesn't have any freshness. Almost 20 of the 42 candidates were already rejected by the people on many occasions in the previous elections. We do not have any concerns," Pabitra Margherita said. Earlier on Wednesday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma slammed the Congress' list of candidates, calling it a "dynastic list," while highlighting the BJP's emphasis on grassroots workers. Speaking to reporters, CM Sarma said, "One may call it a list, but I would call it a dynastic list. In contrast, the BJP's list would include grassroots workers. The party is fully prepared for the upcoming elections." According to an official release, the list includes Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi (Jorhat), Bitupan Saikia (Golaghat), Abdus Sobahan Ali Sarkar from Gauripur, Markline Marak from Goalpara West (ST), Girish Baruah from Bongaigaon, Mahananda Sarkar from Barpeta (SC), and Ramen Singh Rabha from Boko-Chaygaon (ST). Other prominent names are Satyabrat Kalita (Kamalpur), Ripun Bora (Barchalla), Mira Borthakur Goswami (Dispur), Diganta Barman (Barkhetri), Uptal Gogoi (Sonari), Ajoy Kumar Gogoi (Demow), Debabrata Saikia (Nazira), and Ashok Kumar Sarma (Nalbari). Several women leaders have also been fielded, including Nandita Das (Hajo-Sualkuchi SC), Pallabi Saikia Gogoi (Teok), and Suruchi Roy (Ram Krishana Nagar SC). The BJP-led NDA is looking to retain power after two consecutive election wins against the Congress-led alliance in Assam. (ANI)
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