BJP candidates Phanidhar Talukdar, Rupjyoti Kurmi and Sushanta Borgohain are leading in Bhabanipur, Mariani and Thowra constituencies, respectively, the EC said.
Tag: Sushanta Borgohain
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Congress seeks disqualification of own MLA in Assam for quitting party
By PTI
GUWAHATI: The opposition Congress on Saturday wrote to Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly Biswajit Daimary to disqualify Sushanta Borgohain as a MLA under anti-defection law following his resignation from the party.Leader of Opposition in the assembly Debabrata Saikia in the letter to Daimary, requested him to take necessary action as per the 10th Schedule of the Indian Constitution’ and disqualify Borgohain. The 10th Schedule, which was enacted by the Parliament in 1985, contains the anti-defection law.
Earlier on Saturday, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Bora had accepted Borgohain’s resignation from the primary membership of the party. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sartma has said that Borgohain is likely to join the BJP on August 2.
On the basis of it, an APCC general secretary had written to the Congress’ legislature party’s chief whip, Wazed Ali Choudhury, to inform Saikia about the matter so that he may approach the Speaker for disqualification of Borgohain.
A two-time MLA from Thowra constituency in Sivasagar district, Borgohain had on Friday resigned from the Congress with immediate effect, citing “changed internal political atmosphere” within the party.
He is the second Congress MLA to quit the party in less than three months of the second BJP-led government assuming power in Assam. Four-time MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi, who was the lone legislator from the Tea Tribe community in the Congress, had resigned from the Assembly on June 18 and joined the BJP on June 21.
APCC general secretary Barnali Saikia Bora, who was an OSD to former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, also resigned from Congress on Friday. Besides flight of two legislators, the grand old party is facing many other party leaders crossing over to the saffron party in the state.
Among other prominent leaders who have left the Congress fold in the last couple of months is Jury Sharma Bordoloi, who was the Guwahati district president of Congress and had resigned from the party on the same day as Kurmi and taken membership of the BJP on July 2.
Former minister Rajib Lochan Pegu had quit as the president of the Majuli district unit of Congress on July 6 amid reports that he too will join the ruling BJP soon. Following the exit of Borgohain from the assembly, the Congress’ strength in the 126-member House will come down to 27, while that of BJP stands at 59.
The AIUDF has 16 MLAs, AGP has nine, UPPL has five, BPF has three and CPI(M) has one MLA. There is one Independent MLA also. Two MLAs have died and two have resigned. Besides Kurmi, former chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal also resigned and joined the Union Cabinet as a minister.
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Assam Congress MLA Sushanta Borgohain resigns from party, to join BJP
By PTI
GUWAHATI/ KOKRAJHAR: Ending days of speculation, two-time Congress MLA Sushanta Borgohain on Friday resigned from the party with immediate effect citing “changed internal political atmosphere” within the party.He is the second Congress MLA to quit in less than three months of the second BJP-led government returning to power in Assam. Four-time MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi, who was the lone MLA from the Tea Tribe community in the Congress, had resigned as a legislator on June 18 and joined the BJP on June 21.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Borgohain is likely to join the BJP on August 2 and claimed that he will be followed by 2-3 more MLAs of the opposition parties. Besides Borgohain, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) General Secretary Barnali Saikia Bora, who was the OSD to former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, also resigned from the party.
Sending the resignation letter through email to the APCC President Bhupen Borah, Borgohain said: “My resignation from a party, which was like a family to me, has to be read in conjunction with the changed internal political atmosphere within the party, something I tried very hard to change so that the party remains relevant in a state like Assam.
“Unfortunately, all the efforts in this direction proved futile, compelling me to take this ultimate decision and the exact reasons for such a painful move on my part have already been conveyed to the senior leadership of the party both in the state and at the centre,” he said.
He, who has been associated with the Congress for a long period since his NSUI days, first became the MLA from Thowra constituency in Sivasagar district in 2011, but lost in 2016. Borgohain won the 2021 Assembly polls from Thowra by defeating incumbent BJP MLA Kushal Dowari by 2,006 votes.
Meanwhile, Sarma on the sidelines of a function in Kokrajhar said: “On July 2, Sushanta Borgohain is likely to join the BJP. There is a possibility of 2-3 more MLAs joining the BJP in coming days.” However, he did not share further detail.
On July 28, the APCC served a show-cause notice to Borgohain and was asked to clarify his position on or before July 31 on reports of him planning to join the BJP. Since Sarma, who had left Congress and joined the BJP in 2015, became the Chief Minister of Assam, several senior leaders of the opposition party are leaving on regular intervals.
Jury Sharma Bordoloi, who was the Guwahati district president of Congress, had also left the party fold the same day as Kurmi and taken membership of the BJP on July 2. Former minister Rajib Lochan Pegu had resigned as the President of the Majuli district unit of Congress on July 6 amid reports that he too will join the ruling BJP soon.
Once Borgohain will resign from the Assembly, the Congress’ strength in the 126-member House will come further down to 27, while that of BJP stands at 59. The AIUDF has 16, AGP (9), UPPL (5), BPF (3), CPM has one MLAs.
Two MLAs have died and two have resigned. Besides Kurmi, former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also resigned and joined the Union Cabinet as a minister.