GUWAHATI: The Congress in Assam has suffered yet another setback as sitting Rajya Sabha member Santiuse Kujur and a former state Congress minister Gautam Roy resigned from the party on Saturday.
Both are likely to join the BJP in Guwahati in the next two days.
The development comes just a day after party MP Bhubaneswar Kalita, who was the Congress’s chief whip in Lok Sabha, embraced the BJP in Delhi.
“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 party with immediate effect. This is purely my personal decision,” the resignation letter of Kujur reads.
“I have worked in this party for more than 13 years and I have been very pleased to be a part of a leading political party for which I am thankful,” he further wrote.
Roy, described by local media as the “King of Barak Valley” in Assam, said he had resigned from the Congress as the party today was not what it used to be.
“I resigned as I was not happy to see where the Congress has come today. However, I have no grudge against any leader of the party,” Roy told journalists.
He said he had got attracted to the BJP to see its performance across the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“I have seen how people have embraced the BJP. I never had any personal conflict with the BJP. I personally know all BJP leaders of Barak Valley and I respect them,” he said.
Speculations are rife that several other Assam Congress stalwarts will wear saffron in the next two days. Two names doing the rounds are that of Rajya Sabha member Ranee Narah and her husband Bharat Chandra Narah, who is a former Assam Congress minister.