BREAKING: Ex-AGP Leader Jayanta Khaund Joins Congress Ahead of Polls

Former Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leader and finance secretary Jayanta Khaund officially joined the Congress on Monday in Delhi, as the movement of political leaders from one party to another continues, with the assembly elections in Assam fast approaching.

Khaund was among several new entrants welcomed by the party at an official joining event held in the national capital. The event was attended by Assam Congress president and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi, senior party leader and the leader of the opposition in the Assam assembly, Debabrata Saikia, along with Karnataka deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Congress in-charge of Assam, Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, among other All India Congress Committee (AICC) leaders.

Leaving AGP

Jayanta Khaund had announced his resignation from the AGP last week (March 6). According to sources, he was hopeful of contesting the Ronganadi seat, but when the constituency was left for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the seat-sharing arrangement, he decided to quit.

Khaund had expressed his dissatisfaction, saying that serving the AGP for many years bore no benefit for him. With his future still uncertain, he held a late-night meeting with several Congress leaders, including Mira Borthakur at the latter's residence.

Meanwhile, after joining the Congress today, Khaund remarked at a subsequent press conference that the people of Assam did not wish to see Himanta Biswa Sarma as the Chief Minister of the state for a second term.

Having joined the party now, there are suggestions that he could be Congress' new face from Ronganadi.