Assam Minister and NEDA Convener Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited Shiladitya Dev's residence in Hojai. The visit of Sarma is seen as a gesture to pacify Dev who resigned from the party on Thursday after he was denied ticket for the upcoming assembly elections. Sarma was accompanied by BJP General Secretary Dilip Saikia.
Dev, who had won the Hojai seat in 2016 was denied ticket by BJP this time after which he tendered his resignation and decided to contest the election as an independent candidate. The BJP selected Ramakrishna Ghosh as the party candidate for Hojai constituency.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA from Jagiroad and state health minister Pijush Hazarika visited Shiladitya's residence in Hojai on Thursday and had to face the anger of party workers. Hazarika briefed the BJP workers that he had come in good faith as Dev was like his elder brother and he wanted to remove all confusions. "I publicly request him not to take this harsh decision that he would leave the party and contest as an independent candidate. I also request his close workers that they keep the principles of the party in mind and take a positive stand," said Pijush Hazarika to the media persons and BJP workers.
