Congress workers tear down Pradyut Bordoloi’s posters in Margherita, Nagaon after his BJP switch

The Congress party suffered a significant political setback in Assam on Wednesday, March 18, after senior leader and Nagaon Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi.

Bordoloi, a four-time MLA from the 83rd Margherita Legislative Assembly Constituency and a former cabinet minister in the Assam government, joined the BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia.

Within minutes of the development, Congress workers at the Margherita Block Congress Committee office reacted sharply, removing and tearing down posters and photographs of Bordoloi from the Congress Bhawan, signaling deep resentment over his departure.

The swift action by party workers underscored the sense of betrayal felt at the grassroots level, particularly in Margherita, a constituency where Bordoloi had long maintained a strong political presence.

Bordoloi’s defection marks yet another high-profile exit from the Congress in Assam ahead of the crucial political cycle, raising questions about internal cohesion within the party.
 

Similarly, tensions flared at the Rajiv Bhawan in Nagaon after Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned from the Indian National Congress and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, triggering strong reactions from party workers.

Soon after the news broke, agitated Congress workers gathered at the party office and resorted to vandalism. Posters and banners of Bordoloi were torn down from the premises and set on fire, as workers raised slogans against the former Congress leader, expressing deep resentment over his sudden departure.

Several party workers voiced their disappointment, stating that the move came as a shock. “We are deeply hurt. We never expected this from him. We learned a lot under his leadership, and he guided us forward. If there were differences, they could have been resolved through discussion. This is like a family—disagreements happen, but that does not mean one walks away,” a worker said.

Another party member alleged that Bordoloi had been politically nurtured by senior Congress leader Rakibul Hussain, who brought him from Margherita to Nagaon and helped him rise to become a Member of Parliament. “After becoming MP, he distanced himself and began engaging in activities that raised questions among people. His joining the BJP will not impact the Congress party,” the worker claimed.