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8 Congress MLAs joining us in a month, claims BJP legislator in Assam
The Congress dismissed BJP legislator Prasanta Phukan’s claims, saying BJP leaders including chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma were experts at spreading such claims
GUWAHATI: A senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Assam on Monday claimed that eight legislators from the opposition Congress will join the ruling party within a month.
Prasanta Phukan, who represents the Dibrugarh seat in Upper Assam, said the eight were in discussions with the BJP on crossing sides.
“I heard the Congress is planning a yatra programme in constituencies of BJP MLAs in a bid to boost the party. What is the point of such an exercise when eight of their legislators are joining the BJP soon,” Phukan told HT, reiterating the claim that he made while talking to journalists.
The 68-year-old four-time legislator said initially nine Congress MLAs were planning to make the switch but later the number dropped to eight as one couldn’t be accommodated.
At present Congress has 27 MLAs and the BJP has 63 MLAs in the 126-member assembly.
“Active talks are underway at present with the Congress MLAs about them resigning from the party as well as the assembly and joining BJP. The switch over will happen within a month,” said Phukan.
The Congress, however, dismissed the MLA’s claim, saying it was fake.
“I am reluctant to talk about this non-issue and fake claim. The BJP leaders and ministers including chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma are experts at spreading such things,” said Congress MLA and leader of opposition in the state assembly Debabrata Saikia.
Last year, two Congress legislators, Rupjyoti Kurmi (Mariani) and Sushanta Borgohain (Thawra) and Phanidhar Talukdar (Bhabanipur)a from the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF)- resigned from the assembly and joined BJP. All three of them later won by-polls as BJP candidates.
