New Delhi/Guwahati, March 18 (IANS) Newly inducted BJP leader Pradyut Bordoloi on Wednesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, marking a significant political development ahead of the upcoming elections in Assam.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accompanied Bordoloi to the office of the Union Home Minister, where the two leaders held discussions. The meeting is being seen as an indication of the BJP leadership’s growing focus on strengthening its position in the state by inducting key political figures.
According to sources, HM Shah encouraged Bordoloi to contest the Assembly polls. Union Minister Piyush Goyal also attended the meeting. Bordoloi also tendered his resignation from the post of Lok Sabha MP soon after joining the BJP.
Pradyut Bordoloi said that his decision to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was driven by his admiration for Assam CM Sarma and dissatisfaction with the Congress.
Speaking to reporters in the national capital shortly after formally joining the BJP, Bordoloi said he was impressed by the functioning and work ethic of the Chief Minister.
“I have joined the BJP after being satisfied with the work of the Chief Minister. His dedication towards governance has deeply attracted me,” he said.
The former MP also expressed disappointment over his treatment in the Congress, stating that he did not receive the respect he deserved within the party.
“I did not get the respect that I should have received in the Congress. I was going through mental distress while being in the party,” Bordoloi said.
He indicated that internal issues and lack of recognition had been weighing on him for some time, ultimately prompting his decision to quit the Congress and switch to the BJP.
Bordoloi further said that he sees a platform in the BJP where he can work meaningfully while upholding Assamese identity and dignity.
“In the BJP, I will work towards protecting the self-respect of the Assamese people,” he asserted.
His remarks come soon after he officially joined the BJP in the presence of senior party leaders in the national capital, marking a significant political shift in Assam’s landscape.
Bordoloi's move is being viewed as a setback for the Congress in the state, especially at a time when political realignments are gaining momentum ahead of the upcoming elections.
His joining is also expected to bolster the BJP’s organisational strength in Assam, with party leaders expressing confidence that more opposition figures may follow a similar path in the near future.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed former Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi into the Bharatiya Janata Party, asserting that the grand old party no longer has space for “self-respecting individuals”.
“I extend a warm welcome to Pradyut Bordoloi to the BJP. Today, there is no place for self-respecting people in the Congress,” Sarma said, launching a sharp attack on the opposition party.
--IANS
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