A day after the its former Chief Whip in the Rajya Sabha Bhubaneswar Kalita joined the BJP, the Congress in Assam suffered a setback with Rajya Sabha member Santiuse Kujur and former Minister Gautam Roy quitting on Saturday. Both are expected to join the BJP in the next few days.
“With regret I would like to inform you that I am tendering my resignation from the membership of the party and all other portfolios given by the Congress with immediate effect. This is purely my personal decision,” wrote Mr. Kujur in his resignation letter, addressed to the Congress president.
Mr. Roy, often considered the party’s backbone in southern Assam’s Barak Valley, said: “I resigned as I was not happy to see where the Congress has reached today. However, I have no grudge against any leader of the party.”
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He said he was “impressed” by the BJP’s performance across the country under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
There is speculation that several other Assam Congress stalwarts, including former Lok Sabha members and ex-MLAs, would be joining the BJP.