Guwahati, March 18: Deepak Prakash on March 18 criticised the Indian National Congress following the resignation and defection of Pradyut Bordoloi, alleging that the party’s functioning and lack of internal democracy had forced the Assam leader to quit.
Prakash said Bordoloi’s decision reflected deeper structural issues within the Congress, claiming that its working style was not aligned with democratic principles and that it failed to uphold faith in constitutional values. He added that individuals who believe in democracy would find it difficult to continue working within the party.
Bordoloi joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in New Delhi in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and state BJP president Dilip Saikia, a day after resigning from the Congress.
The development follows the recent switch of former Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah to the BJP, indicating a pattern of senior leaders exiting the party ahead of the elections. With Bordoloi’s departure, the Congress has lost one of its three sitting MPs from Assam, weakening its position at a time of intensified political activity.
Bordoloi, who represented the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency, had submitted his resignation to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge before joining the BJP. His exit is being viewed as both an organisational and symbolic setback for the party amid ongoing political realignments.
Earlier, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had indicated that dissatisfaction over ticket distribution may have contributed to the development, describing the situation as unfortunate.
The defection is expected to have wider implications for the Congress’s electoral strategy in the state, raising concerns over internal cohesion and leadership stability as the Assembly elections approach.
