Days after APCC ex-prez, 3 Cong MLAs join BJP ahead of polls

Guwahati: Days after former Congress state president Bhupen Borah joined BJP, three Congress MLAs joined the saffron party on Thursday morning, ahead of the assembly polls.The MLAs are Kamalakhya Dey Purakayastha from Karimganj North, Sashikanta Das from Raha and Basanta Das from Mangaldai (SC) constituency.Sarma said for the last two years, the MLAs were supporting his govt in the legislative assembly, and “today, they have formally joined the party and I welcome them to BJP”. “Their joining reflects the party’s popularity under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi,” he added.The CM, while talking about possibility of candidature for the new joinees, said, “'Their names will be in the panel, but the central parliamentary board will take the final decision regarding ticket allotment.”

He added that it has already been discussed with them that nobody joins BJP for election tickets. “However, at the same time there is no hurdle in seeking the same and it will be given on the basis of their prospects. They have joined BJP unconditionally, and there is no difference between new new and old members in the party. We are all the same within the party,” he added.He also said the three MLAs had openly supported BJP during the last Lok Sabha elections as well.

“Assam is progressing in the path of development under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. The mindset of the CM to lead the state from the front and protect the land is encouraging. By joining the party, I also want to contribute to the progress of the state,” Purkayastha said.Congress had suffered jolts with Borah joining BJP on Feb 22 and two other MLAs Abdul Rashid Mondal and Sherman Ali Ahmed switching over to Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dal last month.Both Mondal and Ahmed are three-time legislators from Goalpara (West) and Baghbar, respectively.