TSuspended Congress MLAs Join BJP in Major Blow to Opposition Ahead of Assam Assembly Polls

In a significant political shift just weeks before the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, three suspended Congress MLAs—Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha (Karimganj North), Basanta Das (Mangaldoi), and Sashi Kanta Das (Raha)—formally joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on March 5, 2026. The induction took place at the state BJP headquarters in Guwahati in the presence of State President Dilip Saikia and Union Minister Pabitra Margherita. The MLAs cited a desire to support the BJP’s developmental ideology and criticized the Congress for practicing “appeasement politics,” which they claimed compromised the security and progress of the state.

This development follows the recent high-profile exit of former state Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah, who joined the BJP in February. The departures have intensified the challenges for the Congress-led alliance as it prepares for the 126-member House elections expected in April. While the BJP welcomed the move as a sign of growing trust in its governance, Congress leaders, including State President Gaurav Gogoi, have downplayed the impact, asserting that the party remains “deep-rooted.” Simultaneously, the Congress released its first list of 42 candidates, featuring Gaurav Gogoi from Jorhat, though BJP leaders have dismissed the list as lacking “freshness” and being dominated by “dynastic” names.