Assam Congress leader Himanta Biswa Sarma to join BJP

Dissident Congress leader and former Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday announced that he will join the Bharatiya Janata Party in the next few days and has met BJP president Amit Shah in this regard.

Once a close associate of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Sarma had resigned from his ministry last year following differences.

Accompanied by state BJP President Siddhartha Bhattacharjee, Sarma called on the BJP national president at his residence in New Delhi.

The rebel Congress leader said he expressed his desire to join BJP and work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah. He also discussed Assam’s political and flood situation.

Sarma said that it was a “well established fact that the BJP would form the next government in Assam in 2016 whether I join the party or not”.

Bhattacharjee also announced that Sarma would join the party and the final formalities would be worked out at the state level.

Sarma’s differences with Gogoi came to the fore following the 2011 assembly polls. Claiming the support of more than 30 MLAs, he had urged the Congress high command to remove Gogoi as chief minister.

The former Education and Health Minister of Assam was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam in November last year.

His name has also cropped in the Louis Berger bribery case in which Gogoi has ordered a CID probe.

Sarma held the Guwahati Development Department portfolio when Louis Berger was selected as consultant for the Guwahati Water Supply project, being implemented by the GMDA with funds received under the Japan International Cooperation Scheme.

Asked if he was assured of any post in BJP, Sarma on Sunday said that he had only decided to join the party and has not bargained for any post.

On whether other dissident Congress legislators could follow suit, the former minister said that he was not in a position to say anything on behalf of others. 

Sarma has represented the Jalukbari assembly constituency since 2001.