Exclusive | Rupjyoti Kurmi explains the symbolic 'Trishul' he gifted to CM Himanta

GUWAHATI: Former Assam Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi who donned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) robes earlier in the day said that there is a great significance behind his decision to gift a trishul (trident) to the state's chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

"The Trishul is a symbol. So that he can be imbued with strength. Secondly, there are evil forces...some people are trying to corrupt the youth through drugs...some are trying to sow the seed of discord. Thirdly, may the trishul give him the power to look ahead to the future and do what is best for Assam. That is the symbol behind the trishul that I have gifted him," Kurmi told InsideNE over the phone.

"Today is Monday, the day of Lord Shiva. Therefore, I gifted him a trishul so that he can protect Assam from unholy forces that are hell-bent on destroying the state. Forces that wish to harm the indigenous people...led our youth astray with drugs. Some are even calling for the setting up of a Miya museum, he added.

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Asked why he had not taken such a hardline stance against the purported Miya museum and previous alleged attacks on the 'indigenous' by suspected foreigners originally from Bangladesh, Kurmi told us that had had always sought the expelling of such 'elements' from the Congress.

Kurmi after joining the BJP has done a complete U-turn as far as policies are concerned. While he once opposed the Citizenship Amendment Act, he now says he trusts the BJP-led government "to do the right thing."

Kurmi, who is a four-time legislator and a prominent leader from the tea tribe community, resigned from the party and Assembly, announcing a switch to the BJP.

He told reporters that younger leaders like him had been sidelined in the Congress, and that the party’s central leadership was responsible for its repeated electoral failures across the country. Kurmi, 43, is the son of the former Congress minister and three-time MLA Rupam Kurmi. It is believed that Kurmi changed his party as the Congress leadership was not acquiescing to his demands -- mainly his wish to be the party president by replacing Ripun Bora.

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