BJP Leaders in Assam Resign En Masse Ahead of Assembly Polls
In a significant political development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has suffered a major setback in Assam just before the state assembly elections. On Friday, eight senior party leaders from the Udharbond constituency submitted their resignations, citing strong objections to the party's candidate selection process.
Protest Against Candidate Choice
The resignations were triggered by the BJP's decision to field Rajdeep Goala, a former Congress Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Lakhipur constituency, as its candidate from Udharbond for the upcoming polls on April 9. Additionally, the party leadership dropped the sitting MLA, Mihir Kanti Shome, from the constituency, a move that has sparked widespread resentment among long-time party workers.
Who Are the Resigning Leaders?
The leaders who have resigned include:
- Basudeb Sharma
- Nabarun Chakraborty
- Hemanga Shekhar Das
- Shyamu Roy
- Biswajit Dey
- Kanchan Singha
- Mithun Nath
- Joyjyoti Dey
These individuals were actively associated with the BJP's Cachar district committee and the Udharbond mandal unit, playing crucial roles in the party's grassroots operations.
Allegations of "Congressisation"
In their resignation statements, the leaders accused the BJP of undergoing a process of "Congressisation" in Cachar and across Assam. They expressed deep disappointment over the growing influx of politicians from rival parties, which they believe is undermining the BJP's core ideology and principles.
Basudeb Sharma, one of the resigning leaders, stated, "We dedicated our lives to the BJP, following the vision of stalwarts like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, and Kabindra Purkayastha. However, in Assam today, the party is being flooded by Congress leaders and is being used to fulfil the ambitions of a few individuals. This is a betrayal of long-time party workers."
Impact on BJP's Electoral Prospects
This mass resignation could potentially weaken the BJP's position in the Udharbond constituency and affect its overall performance in the Assam assembly elections. The leaders' protest highlights internal discord and dissatisfaction within the party ranks, which may influence voter sentiment and party unity in the region.
The development underscores the challenges political parties face in balancing candidate selection with the expectations of loyal workers, especially in election-bound states like Assam.
