GUWAHATI, Dec 20: In another big setback for the grand old party after Rupjyoti Kurmi and Sushanta Borgohain’s switch to the BJP, Congress MLA from Raha, Sashi Kanta Das, has pledge “full support” to the ruling party for the “sake of development”.
This after Das, a first-time MLA from Raha, met Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma early this morning, first at his official residence and then at the Chief Minister’s chamber inside the Assam Legislative Assembly, and offered “full support” to the ruling coalition in all matters.
He was seen touching the feet of Chief Minister Sarma while seeking his blessings at the CM residence.
“Himanta Biswa Sarma is one of the most hardworking Chief Ministers Assam has ever had. I have always held him in high esteem. Today morning, when I met him along with my old friend Piyush Hazarika –also one of the very dynamic ministers in the chief minister’s council of ministers – I was captivated by the manner in which he offered a patient ear to the issues concerning my LAC’s development which I had raised. He also assured me every possible support to augment developmental work in Raha,” Das said while addressing reporters outside the assembly, while being flanked by BJP MLAs.
“I have pledged him every possible support so that developmental work in my constituency as well as in the whole of the State never takes a backseat,” he further said.
On whether he will desert the Congress party and join BJP in the coming days the Raha legislator said he has no immediate plans to quit his party that is already beleaguered by Rupjyoti Kurmi and Sushanta Borgohain’s desertion.
“I will stay with the Congress but will support the ruling coalition led by our dynamic Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma. I will now be driven by the agenda Chief Minister Sarma has to usher in development in Raha constituency and for that matter the whole of Assam,” Das added.
Chief Minister Sarma said after meeting Shakti Kanta Das that the Congress MLA will support the ruling coalition and will extend all possible help, support and cooperation even by staying with the Congress.
“Shakti Kanta Das, the Congress MLA from Raha LAC, met me today morning and has expressed his desire to support our Government. We are not bothered with his party affiliation but he will maintain a close relation with our party MLAs and with the Government. It doesn’t matter with which party he is but the fact is that that he wants to support the government and we will work together from today for the sake of development,” Chief Minister Sarma said.
Incidentally, the development comes at a time when several other Congress legislators — Bhaskar Jyoti Baruah (Titabor), Sibamoni Bora (Batadrava), Nandita Das (Boko) and Jadab Swargiary (Dudhnoi) — are said to be in contact with the BJP leadership, in an apparent move to jump ship.
