Another big jolt to Assam Cong: Gautam Roy, Santiuse Kujur resign

Guwahati: In another massive blow to the Congress, strongman of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) in Barak valley, former MLA and Assam minister Gautam Roy, and former Rajya Sabha MP and senior leader tribe leader Santiuse Kujur resigned from the party on Saturday.

This was followed by the departure of former Rajya Sabha member, veteran party leader Bhubaneswar Kalita and RS MP Sanjay Singh from the Congress party recently.

Talking to media soon after tendering his resignation from the party, Gautam Roy said that he will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) soon. He, however, didn’t say anything against the Congress.

“I don’t have anything against anyone in the Congress party. I took the decision of my own and at present circumstances, I feel that it’s time for me to join the BJP,” he said.

Resignation of the party strongman in Barak valley was on expected lines as he was seen celebrating the victory of the BJP in the 17th Lok Sabha elections earlier in May. He even shouted pro-BJP slogans and distributed sweets on the streets of Barak Valley during that time.

Prior to the last Lok Sabha elections, Roy, a four-time Congress minister and six-time MLA from Katlicherra, was also found praising BJP leaders and lambasting his own party colleagues in various public meetings. He also praised chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma, Parimal Suklabaidya and other senior leaders of the BJP in various public appearances.

Meanwhile, senior tea tribe leader of the Congress and former Rajya Sabha member Santiuse Kujur, in a letter to the president of the Congress, on Saturday, said, “I am tendering my resignation from the membership of the party with immediate effect and all other party portfolios given by the Congress party.”

Terming it as his purely personal decision, Kujur also said, “I have worked in this party for more than 13 years and I have been very pleased to be a part of a leading political party for which I am thankful.”

Kujur’s tenure as Upper House MP ended in June this year.

Earlier, keeping aside all speculations following his resignation both from the Rajya Sabha and the Congress party recently, former senior Congress leader from Assam, Bhubaneswar Kalita joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Friday afternoon.

Addressing media persons, Kalita said that he took the decision opposing the Congress party’s stand following the Centre’s decision to scrap Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir.