Guwahati, March 3: In a major political upheaval in Upper Assam, more than 200 Congress leaders and workers from the 83rd Margherita Legislative Assembly Constituency resigned and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday, March 2, marking a significant setback for the party ahead of the state Assembly elections.
The mass defection coincided with the visit of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president and Lok Sabha Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi to Margherita for the “Samay Parivartan Jatra” programme at the Margherita Congress Bhavan. Despite efforts by the state leadership to strengthen grassroots support, the Margherita Block Congress Committee faced a major blow as several prominent local leaders led the exodus.
Among those who quit were Tinsukia District Congress Committee secretary and Margherita Block Mahila Congress president Jayanti Sharma, along with Azad Bora and Suraj Khatuwal. They, together with around 200 others, formally severed ties with the Congress and joined the BJP in a programme held at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhavan in Margherita, in the presence of local MLA Bhaskar Sharma. Several active members from other parties and organisations also joined the BJP during the event.
Speaking to the media, the new entrants cited the developmental initiatives of the BJP-led government as a key factor influencing their decision and expressed confidence in the party’s leadership.
Political observers noted that the mass resignation, particularly during Gogoi’s visit, deals a symbolic and practical setback to the Congress in the region, highlighting the shifting political dynamics in the run-up to Assam’s Assembly elections.
