While politicking is at the peak with just 2 days left for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections in Assam, the focus has now shifted to the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency.
The Congress candidate and incumbent MP Pradyot Bordoloi is now making headlines after Assam cabinet minister Pijush Hazarika had revealed that Bordoloi was keen to join the saffron party and even had made CM Himanta Biswa Sarma as well as the party’s central leadership in Delhi to finalize things.
But, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today ended all speculations and confirmed himself that the Nagaon Congress candidate was in touch with him before the elections.
This is Himanta Biswa Sarma’s first revelation on Pradyut Bordoloi’s decision to join the BJP, after minister Pijush Hazarika had openly said that the Nagaon Congress candidate and MP Bordoloi had made efforts to join BJP.
Addressing a massive rally in Rupahi, a Congress stronghold where Muslims are the dominant voting force, Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “What is the use of voting for Pradyot Bordoloi? Just before the elections, Pradyot Bordoloi was in contact with me for 3 months. He said that if he does not get a ticket in the Congress, he wanted me to make arrangements so that he gets a ticket from the BJP.”
Himanta Biswa Sarma wanted to know from the large gathering present in the rally and said, “If Pradyut Bordoloi wins also, he will not stay for long and would be joining the BJP, does everyone know that?”
Urging the people to vote for BJP’s Nagaon Lok Sabha candidate Suresh Bora, Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “So instead of voting from the backside for the BJP, the vote should be casted openly in favour of the BJP.
In Assam, if a vote is given to Congress, it comes in favour of the BJP. If a vote is give to AIUDF, than too it comes for the BJP. Because no matter whoever is elected as an MLA to Dispur (either from Congress or AIUDF), they join hands with the BJP. Whoever is elected an MP to Delhi, also joins hands with the BJP. So if people of Rupohi vote for the Congress, the MP is with the BJP, caste (to people) votes for the Congress, the MLA will be with the BJP, so all of you should vote directly vote for the BJP or not?
So I urge everyone of you to vote directly for the BJP.”
In a startling disclosure ahead of the voting day on April 26, Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika had dropped a bombshell on Monday.
Hazarika said that Congress candidate Pradyot Bordoloi was in touch with the BJP leadership and expressed his desire to join the saffron party. Pijush Hazarika maintained that it was the BJP leadership who did not allow Pradyot Bordoloi to join the BJP.
However, when Pradyot Bordoloi was asked about this (on Monday), he had rubbished the statements made by Pijush Hazarika.
