Guwahati:  After Sashikanta Das of the Congress came out openly in support of the BJP-led government in Assam, three other MLA namely Kamalakshya Dey Purkayasta, Basanta Das and Siddique Ahmed extended support to the NDA in Assam on Wednesday. 

Siddique Ahmed had been in support of the government for quite some time and he along with Sashikanta Das was suspended by the Congress party. 

Hailing the move, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Assam will be the first State where the opposition will also stand in support of the government cutting across political lines. He said that this model is development-oriented and other States should also follow. 

Watch | Himanta Biswa Sarma Calls For Unique Assam Model After 4 Congress MLAs Join BJP

“The MLAs of the Congress in Assam are happy with the development-oriented works of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that is the reason why they are openly coming out now in support of the BJP-led government,” Chief Minister Sarma said. 

Meanwhile, insiders in the BJP have confirmed that many more MLAs and leaders of the Congress are in touch with the BJP. Confirming this, the Assam Chief Minister said, “There are 6-7 MLAs in the Congress who want to leave the party and come with us. Ahead of Lok Sabha elections, you will witness the developments.” 

He also said that the souls of almost all the MLAs of the Congress are with the BJP and they are only physically with the Congress party. “Not only MLAs, there are many people in the Rajib Bhawan who are with us,” the Chief Minister added. 

Speaking to Republic Media Network, Minister Pijush Hazarika said that for the first time in recent memory, the Budget session of the Assam Assembly has seen no disruption or walkout by the Opposition. He said that this is because most of the opposition is in sync with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies.

“Shashikant Das, Siddique Ahmed, Kamalakhya Dey Purkyashta and Basanta Das, four Congress MLAs have so far already supported the State government led by our dynamic Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, many more will support us in the coming days,” said Pijush Hazarika. 

Similarly, BJP MLA Manab Deka, while speaking to Republic Media Network said, “All indigenous people who are in the Congress party are feeling suffocated because of Congress appeasement of Bangladeshi Miyas. Especially after Rahul Gandhi’s so-called Nyay Yatra where he didn’t have any importance to the indigenous-dominated areas and stressed more in Bangladeshi Miya-dominated Dhubri and Barpeta, the indigenous leaders are feeling left out. So, I just want to say that any indigenous Assamese leader and a true Indian in the Congress is a future BJP karyakarta.” 

Reacting to the developments, Congress MP from Barpeta, Abdul Khaleque blamed the party in-charge of Assam Jitendra Singh Alwar for this. Speaking to the media he said, “After the cross-voting in Rajya Sabha and presidential elections it was clear that there are people in Congress who are on BJPs side. But the Congress in charge of Assam didn't take any action.” 

Another suspended Congress MLA Sherman Ali said that Congress will soon become a Miya party. “Congress will soon become a miya party. All others barring the Miyas will abandon the party to join the BJP. I can confirm that except for Gaurab Gogoi, all the Congress leaders in Assam are on the Chief Minister's or BJPs payroll,” Sherman said. 

It may be mentioned that many senior leaders of the party are already in touch with the BJP. Some of them will be joining the alliance partner of NDA in Assam, the Asom Gana Parishad, while a few others will be joining another alliance partner UPPL.