GUWAHATI: Assam Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned on Tuesday evening, dealing a significant blow to the party ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled for April 9.
He is likely to join the ruling BJP on Wednesday and may contest the polls from a constituency in Guwahati.
Bordoloi addressed his brief resignation letter, dated March 17, to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
“With an overwhelming sense of sadness, I hereby tender my resignation from all posts, privileges, and the primary membership of the Indian National Congress,” the letter read.
The Congress described his resignation as “very unfortunate”. Subrata Borah, All India Congress Committee (AICC) Northeast in-charge of the OBC wing, said in a Facebook post, “He is the senior-most and most experienced leader of the Assam Congress at present.”
The exact reasons behind Bordoloi’s decision were not immediately clear. However, he had recently indicated that he might quit if Lahorighat MLA Asif Mohammad Nazar was renominated for the Assembly elections.
In a recent letter to AICC general secretary in charge of Assam, Jitendra Singh, Bordoloi had expressed concern over the party leadership’s alleged failure to address allegations linked to Nazar.
In April last year, Bordoloi’s car was attacked by miscreants in the Dhing area of Nagaon, which he represents in the Lok Sabha. Police later arrested one Emdadul Islam, who is allegedly a close associate of Nazar.
Following his resignation from the Congress, it remains to be seen whether Bordoloi will also step down as the MP from Nagaon. Notably, the Congress has recently fielded his son, Prateek Bordoloi, from the Margherita constituency in Upper Assam for the Assembly elections.
Earlier, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had predicted that Bordoloi would join the BJP in 2029, ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections.
Last month, former Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah also resigned following differences with the state leadership. He did not withdraw his resignation despite efforts by central leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, to persuade him.