Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika Blames Congress Leadership for Defections, Recalls Past Party Discord

Assam minister Pijush Hazarika on Monday addressed the state of the Congress party amidst a series of defections to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by its leaders in recent weeks, just ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Hazarika, who previously served as president of Assam Youth Congress, recalled the conflict within the party in 2011 when then Assam CM Tarun Gogoi introduced his son Gaurav Gogoi to state politics. This decision was opposed by powerful minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, leading to a split that saw over 40 Congress MLAs joining Sarma.

Reflecting on his time in the Congress, Hazarika stated that his departure from the party was triggered by the forceful entry of Gaurav Gogoi into state politics. “Only because of Gaurav Gogoi’s Para suit Landing by his father, then Assam CM Tarun Gogoi, Himanta Biswa Sarma felt compelled to leave Congress. The Congress High Command did not understand our problem, as a result of which we had to leave Congress,” he explained.

Hazarika officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in November 2015, following the path of Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Now a member of the BJP and holding portfolios in water resources and information, Hazarika added, “Our fault was we opposed Congress’ blanket politics, we opposed vogue appeasement that is why the Congress leaders did not like us.. Had Gaurav Gogoi not forcefully entered state politics, Assam Congress would not have faced such a crisis.”

Similarly, former Congress state working president Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, who joined the BJP in February, blamed the central leadership of Congress for failing to understand the state’s issues.

Purkayastha commented, “Today, there is no one to campaign for Congress. No leaders, no workers at the Mandal level to assist the party’s candidate in campaigning; the candidates are campaigning on their own. This is the result of the Congress leadership’s blunders in past years. The decisions made by the Congress leadership have caused the people of Assam to lose faith in the party.”

Assam Congress Chief to Join BJP Soon: Himanta

Meanwhile, Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed confidence that Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah might soon join the BJP, following the resignation of veteran Assam Congress leader and MLA Bharat Chandra Narah. “Mark my words; Bhupen Borah will soon join the BJP. I don’t make baseless claims,” he stated.

Narah resigned on Monday after his wife, Ranee Narah, was denied a Congress ticket for the Lakhimpur Lok Sabha constituency.

Sarma said, “Till now, Bharat Narah has taken half steps. If he makes up his mind properly and is completely ready, he will be welcomed into the BJP.”