Hours after quitting Congress, Assam MP Pradyut Bordoloi joins BJP

New Delhi: Hours after quitting the Congress party, Lok Sabha MP from Assam, Pradyut Bordoloi, joined the BJP in the national capital on Wednesday.

Bordoloi, who was a minister in Assam during the Congress regime, joined the BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and state BJP president Dilip Saikia.

Pradyut Bordoloi said he was “deeply hurt” and “left with no option” but to resign from the Indian National Congress, alleging repeated humiliation and a lack of a conducive environment within the party’s Assam unit.

Speaking to reporters here, Bordoloi said the decision was painful but inevitable. “I am saddened to take this step, but I had no option left. I was mentally hurt and internally exhausted,” he said, indicating that issues within the party had been building up for some time.

The veteran leader claimed that several senior Congress figures had “insulted” him on multiple occasions, leading to a sense of alienation.

“I have dedicated my entire life to the Congress, but today I feel completely alone. I waited for hours to meet K.C. Venugopal, but I was not allowed a meeting,” he said, underlining the emotional toll of his exit.

At the same time, Bordoloi acknowledged the role the Congress played in shaping his political career. “The Congress party has given me a lot. Whatever I am today is because of the Congress,” he noted, adding that his decision was not driven by disregard for the party’s legacy but by the prevailing circumstances.

However, he stressed that the situation within the Assam Congress had deteriorated to a point where he no longer felt comfortable continuing. “There is no environment in the Assam Congress for me to stay. That is why I resigned,” Bordoloi said.

His resignation and switching sides are being seen as a significant setback for Congress in Assam, particularly at a time when the party is grappling with internal challenges and gearing up for crucial political battles ahead.

IANS