Nine Congress MLAs join BJP in Assam

Nine Congress MLAs associated with the camp of dissidents led by ex-minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday joined the BJP in Assam.

BJP general secretary Ram Madhav arrived here on Friday to grant BJP membership to the Congress legislators. Four of these nine MLAs have been suspended from the party by the state Congress leadership and five issued show-cause notices for dissidence under the leadership of Mr Sarma, who joined the BJP in August.

However, the defection of nine Congress MLAs and Mr Sarma is not going to threaten the ruling Congress government in the state as its strength in the Assam Assembly will be reduced to 69, which is still more than the halfway mark of 63 in a House of 126 members.

The rebel Congress MLAs had expressed their desire to join the saffron camp in September before BJP president Amit Shah, but formal joining was delayed due to stiff opposition from several quarters in the BJP.

BJP old-timers feel taking in sitting Congress MLAs would make it harder to get party tickets in the Assembly elections. State BJP president Siddharth Bhattacharya said, “These nine Congress MLAs wanted to join the party long back, but it was delayed due to some technical difficulties. We welcome them to the BJP. It has certainly strengthened the party in the run-up to the 2016 Assembly elections in Assam.”

On Thursday, the nine MLAs and Mr Sarma had met Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Mr Ram Madhav.