Four-time Cong MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi quits party, decides to join BJP
GUWAHATI:
Four-time Congress MLA from Mariani Legislative Assembly constituency in Upper Assam, Rupjyoti Kurmi resigned from his post on Friday, citing unhappiness and indifferences with the party leadership’s decisions.
His resignation letter was submitted to Assam Legislative Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary in his official chamber in the presence of BJP leaders such as Cabinet minister Pijush Hazarika and Nalbari MLA, Jayanta Malla Baruah among others.
Kurmi, who also quit the Congress, announced his decision to join BJP claiming that he can serve his “beloved constituency” in a better way by becoming a member of the ruling party in the state.
A vocal legislator from Assam’s tea community, Kurmi had claimed that he was unhappy with some Congress leaders who allegedly “never paid attention to his eligibility or considered the views of the younger members of the party.”
Moreover, he had of late claimed that the party leadership never considered him for important posts (such as the post of state party president, leader of the Opposition in Assembly, etc), despite being a representative of a community that has a dominant electorate in over 35 legislative constituencies of Assam.
Kurmi’s decision certainly comes as a major setback to the Congress, which he hinted, was likely to lose a few more MLAs in the days to come.
Meanwhile, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Friday reacted instantly and “expelled” Kurmi from the primary membership of the party with immediate effect “for his anti-party activities”.
“This has the approval of the All India Congress Committee (AICC),” an order issued by APCC president, Ripun Bora stated.
Meanwhile, the APCC president constituted a three-member committee to immediately visit Mariani legislative Assembly constituency to take stock of the political situation in the constituency in view of the decision of Kurmi to join BJP.
The committee led by Rana Goswami as chairman and Sushanta Borgohain and Manoj Dhanowar will interact with Congress office-bearers of the block and mandal/panchayat levels and Congress workers of Mariani constituency to boost the morale of the party workers in the wake of Kurmi’s resignation.
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