Assam Congress MLA Bhaskar Jyoti Baruah shares dais with Sonowal, fuels speculation about joining BJP

Baruah felicitated Sonowal and shared dais with Sonowal in Jorhat during Ashirwad Yatra. Baruah, however, refuted speculation of his joining BJP.

He said, “The programme was shared by the Deputy commissioner to MLAs. I thought it was a government programme. I have no plans of joining the BJP.”

Titabor assembly was represented by former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi for several terms in the state assembly.

Recently, Congress leader Sushanta Borgohain in Assam joined BJP. Thowra MLA Sushanta Borgohain resigned from the assembly.

Assam went to assembly polls in March-April this year. While one Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi has resigned and joined BJP, there are two other seats which have fallen vacant due to the death of MLA. Majuli seat has fallen vacant as former Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal was inducted in the Union Council of ministers. Sonowal is likely to get elected from Rajya Sabha as Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary had resigned last year from the Upper House and he is now Speaker of the state assembly.

Tamulpur constituency MLA Leho Ram Boro of the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) died of COVID-19. Gossaigaon MLA Majendra Narzary of the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) died following post-Covid complications.

Congress had earlier alleged that BJP is nervous and wants to touch the figure of 64 in the house of 126 and once that is achieved it will snap ties with allies.

The UPPL is an ally of the BJP, which is heading the government in Assam. The BJP-led NDA secured 75 seats in the 126-member assembly, 11 seats less than in 2016.

The BJP won 60 seats which is similar to the number it won five years ago. The Asom Gana Parishad won nine seats against 14 seats last time, while the new alliance partner, United People’s Party Liberal, got six seats.

Prior to the polls, Ajanta Neog and Rajdeep Goala were the other Congress leaders in the state who had left the party. Neog is a minister in the present government.