Assam: Golaghat Congress MLA Ajanta Neog & Lakhipur MLA Rajdeep Gowala join BJP

Guwahati: Former Assam Minister & Congress MLA from Golaghat, Ajanta Neog and Congress MLA from Lakhipur, Rajdeep Gowala joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday. The two senior MLAs formally joined the ruling party today in an event attended by Assam BJP President Ranjit Das and State Health, Finance and Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The joining ceremony took place in the state office of the saffron party in Hengrabari.

In his speech delivered at the event, State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "It is a happy day for the Bharatiya Janata Party in Assam today. Assam's two famous and skilled politicians have joined BJP and we warmly congratulate them. From now on, I hope that they will keep in mind the party's welfare, and be driven to work for our people." Praising the political finesse of the two new BJP members, Sarma further said, "Their joining will benefit the party and help us achieve our missions for the people of Assam."

Ex-Congress MLA Ajanta Neog said in her speech, "As someone who has always been involved in active politics, I have been honest in all my work. Today I pledge to work for the welfare of BJP and the society." Comparing her joining to the instance of 'coming home', she said, "When we come home, we are all treated with equal treatment and equal respect. The same will happen to me I believe, on joining this party." 

Speaking of her former party, Neog described Congress as a 'leaderless' and 'directionless' organisation that works as a private limited party. She even condemned the Party's association with AIUDF. 

In her speech, Neog also asked for guidance by senior BJP leaders to work efficiently in the best interests of the party. Her speech was followed by chants of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" from the audience.

Notably, the two former Congress MLAs, Neog and Gowala met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on his recent visit to Guwahati. Earlier, there was a lot of speculation regarding Neog's possible joining of BJP as reports suggesting the same emerged in local media. After further reports surfaced depicting Ajanta Neog's meeting with Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Neog was expelled from her position by the Congress party.

The joining of these two senior Congress leaders evidently comes ahead of the Assam assembly elections next year and is believed to be a major setback for Congress in Assam. The exit of the two Congress MLAs and demise of former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Pranab Gogoi, both Congress legislators, will bring down the number of Congress MLAs in the Assam assembly from 24 to 20. 

Also Read: Ajanta Neog, Rajdeep Goala to join BJP on Dec 29

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