'No internal democracy': BJP's Deepak Prakash slams Congress over Pradyut Bordoloi's exit

BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Deepak Prakash, on March 18, criticised the Congress following Pradyut Bordoloi’s resignation, saying the party’s “attitude” and lack of “internal democracy” had driven the Assam MP to quit.

Prakash alleged that Bordoloi’s exit reflected deeper issues within the Congress. “Because of the attitude of the Congress party, he had to resign. There is no internal democracy; their working style is not aligned with democratic principles, nor do they show faith in the Constitution,” he said. He added that “any citizen who believes in democracy cannot stand with Congress, nor work for it”.

Bordoloi formally joined the BJP in Delhi in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and state BJP president Dilip Saikia, a day after stepping down from the Congress.

The development comes close on the heels of former Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah’s switch to the BJP less than a month ago, underlining a pattern of senior leaders exiting the party ahead of the elections.

With Bordoloi’s departure, Congress has lost one of its three sitting MPs from Assam, weakening its position at a time when political parties are intensifying campaign activities across the state. Bordoloi represented the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency and had submitted his resignation to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge before crossing over.

The timing of the move is being seen as significant amid ongoing political realignments in the run-up to the polls. His exit is viewed as both an organisational and symbolic setback for the Congress in Assam, where the party has been facing internal challenges.

Earlier, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra indicated that dissatisfaction over ticket distribution may have contributed to the decision. “He was unhappy over ticket distribution. This was unfortunate,” she said.

The defection is expected to have wider implications for the Congress’s electoral strategy in Assam, as questions grow over internal cohesion and leadership stability in the state unit.