New Twists in Assam Politics Ahead of By-Polls, Ex-Congress MLA Rajiv Lochan Pegu to join BJP

GUWAHATI: According to latest developments in Assam politics, the Majuli Assam assembly Constituency will go to by-polls that are expected to be held this year as per the Constitutional provision. Along with Majuli, four other constituencies of Assam will also go for by-elections.

It is to be noted that, by polls to the Majuli constituency has been necessitated as former chief minister of the state Sarbananda Sonowal, who has been representing it since 2016 in the Assembly, has got a portfolio in the recent Central cabinet reshuffle.

As the days for the probable by-elections are nearing in, speculation is rife at both the ruling and the Opposition camps over their candidates regarding representation of the Majuli constituency.

According to party insiders of both the political camps, former Majuli Congress MLA will probably switch sides and join the ruling saffron brigade ahead of the by-polls.

In the meantime, Assam Congress top brass has sent representatives to former party MLA Rajiv Lochan Pegu who have been trying hard to motivate Pegu not to leave the party and join BJP. However, a senior Congress leader took a swipe at the party turncoats who joined the ruling party calling them 'opportunists'.

The probable defection by ex-MLA Pegu also has created dissatisfaction among the Majuli BJP workers. Some of the local BJP workers demanded not to give party tickets to new-comer in the upcoming by-polls and that too from opposition.

Several Congress workers including ex-MLAs of the Thowra and Mariyani constituencies, Sushanta Borgohain and Rupjyoti Kurmi have recently left the Congress and joined the saffron brigade. Sources said that the BJP would field Borgohain and Kurmi in their respective constituencies as its party candidates in the upcoming by-polls.

With all the twists and turns going around in Assam politics, it now remains to be seen that whether the grand old Congress would be able to retain their valuable candidates, or the glitz and glory of the saffron party continues to attract the politicians to switch sides. In either cases, the interesting part to witness would be the final candidature list ahead of the by elections.

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