Guwahati: After two prominent Assam Congress leaders joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday, the state president of the saffron party, Bhabesh Kalita claimed that they are now confident of winning 12 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking on the topic, BJP-Assam president Bhabesh Kalita said that Suresh Bora, who is a senior Congress leader and has served the Congress for several years joined the BJP hoping for a change.
He added that Suresh Bora joining the BJP as a change will strengthen the BJP’s foundation.
“We are confident that with this new development, we will win 12 seats in the upcoming LS polls”, he added.
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He claimed that many more Congress-elected representatives are ready to join the BJP and have told him that they would join immediately with approval.
When asked if Congress state president Bhupen Borah would join the BJP, he said, “We don’t want him to join us.”
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Speaking on switching sides, Suresh Bora, who was the Nagaon district president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, claimed that he joined the BJP because of his supporters.
He said, “My supporters did not take most of the government benefits as they thought I would be hurt. I could not stand that. Many wanted to join the BJP, hoping for a better future, and I, keeping that in mind, joined the BJP for them.”
Suresh Bora said that he still wishes good for the Congress.
It may be mentioned that a source added that in the upcoming 2024 election, the BJP might field current Barhampur MLA Jitu Goswami.
The source added, “If the equation goes right and Jitu Goswami wins, the BJP leadership and especially Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma might put forward Suresh Bora as a candidate for the Barhampur Assembly seat.”
The source added that Suresh Bora always had a close relationship with Himanta Biswa Sarma, even after his switching to the BJP in 2015.