Guwahati: The programme organised to celebrate the 44th foundation day of the BJP in Guwahati witnessed almost all the ministers and MLAs of the party staying away, indicating deep fissure and indiscipline in the Assam state unit of the saffron party.
Barring Ranjeet Kr Dass, all ministers including Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and party legislators skipped the programme organised at Assam BJP headquarters in Guwahati on Thursday.
Assam BJP’s two former presidents –Ranjit Dutta and Siddhartha Bhattacharyya also did not attend the programme.
Besides Chief Minister Sarma, Ranjit Dutta and Siddhartha Bhattacharyya were in Guwahati when the meeting got underway at the party’s state headquarters.
The foundation day meeting presided over by Assam BJP president Bhabesh Kalita, was attended among others by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, former state BJP presidents Narayan Borkotoky, Rajen Gohain and Ramen Deka and MP Queen Ojah.
Interestingly, speaking to reporters, Rajen Gohain and Ramen Deka backed ‘disgruntled’ ex-MLA from Nalbari Ashok Sarma, who recently expressed displeasure against state leadership.
Both Deka and Gohain said that party leadership should address the grievances of former MLA Ashok Sarma.
Sarma, who was elected as an MLA from the Nalbari constituency in 2016, was denied a party ticket in 2021 Assembly elections to pave the way for Jayanta Malla Baruah, who now holds the PHE and Tourism portfolios in the Assam cabinet.