Two prominent BJP ticket aspirants for the Dispur constituency — sitting MLA Atul Bora and Jayanta Das — have raised the banner of revolt against the party and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for giving the party ticket to Pradyut Bordoloi to contest from the prestigious seat. A six-time MLA from Dispur, Bora expressed strong dissatisfaction over the move, alleging betrayal and questioning the party’s candidate selection process. “I have been representing Dispur since 1985 and have defeated three Chief Ministers during my political journey. Naturally, I expected the party to consider my track record,” Bora said, highlighting his long political association with the constituency.
However, Bora said the current situation within the party has left him disillusioned. “Today, there is no environment to work in the BJP. Workers are confused about where to go. The party claims to be the largest, yet it is now importing candidates and distributing tickets,” he alleged. Taking a direct swipe at Bordoloi, Bora accused him of political opportunism. “Pradyut Bordoloi was once an MLA from Margherita, later moved to Nagaon and became an MP. Now he wants to contest from Dispur. This is a betrayal of the people of Margherita and Nagaon, and I fear the same could happen in Dispur,” he said.
Echoing him, Jayanta Das launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma by accusing him of sidelining longtime committed BJP workers by importing corrupt and inefficient leaders from the Congress.
He said CM Sarma has given preference to turncoats like Bordoloi who joined the party only yesterday over dedicated workers who have been toiling for the party for decades. Das also accused Sarma of being neck-deep in corruption and running a mafia raj and cattle smuggling syndicate in the state. He said that he would form a new party with all the disgruntled BJP workers from across the state. On the other hand, BJP MLA from Dholai Nihar Ranjan Das has resigned from the party after he was denied a party ticket. “I have the honour to state that being an MLA, Dholai LAC, I worked honestly and most sincerely. I have raised the party’s image before the people of Dholai LAC within short period of time. But unfortunately, BJP has not recognized me and has deprived me of the party ticket. As such, I am tendering my resignation from the primary membership of BJP,” he said in his resignation letter submitted to Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia.
