All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MLA from lower Assam's Bhabanipur constituency Phani Talukdar is likely to resign from the state legislative assembly and join the ruling BJP on September 1, sources said.
He will be the third opposition MLA to join the BJP after the government was formed on May 10. Earlier, four-time MLA from Mariani constituency, Rupjyoti Kurmi, and Thowra MLA Sushanta Borgohain had quit the Congress and joined the BJP. Before the election to the 126-member house, senior leader Ajanta Neog had also switched loyalty from the Congress to the BJP. She is currently the finance minister.
A total of five seats — Mariani, Thowra, Majuli, Gossaigaon and Tamulpur — are currently lying vacant.
Gossaingaon and Tamulpur seats are lying vacant after both the MLAs succumbed to Covid-19. The figure will go up to six if Talukdar quits AIUDF and resigns from the MLA post to join the BJP.
Phani Talukdar, while speaking to media after a meeting with the BJP and AGP workers at his residence in Bhabanipur said that everyone will come to know on September 1 regarding his joining BJP.
When asked whether the Bhabanipur constituency will have a AGP MLA, Talukdar said that the constituency will be led by BJP as he will be joining the saffron party soon. If I would have joined AGP, then the seat would have belonged to AGP, he said.
Bringing Talukdar to the BJP from AIUDF will be considered as a grand success for the BJP, which won the assembly elections by targeting AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal.
"BJP has a vision, a mission and a goal. The party has been continuously working for the all-round development of the people in the state. To uplift the last person of the society is our objective. Inclined towards the party's ideology and dedication to work for the development, many have joined the BJP," said state party president Bhabesh Kalita.
