Assam: Major setback to Congress, two leaders to openly show support to BJP

The political storm within the Assam Congress is taking a new turn with two MLAs all set to show their open support to the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP government in the state. 

As per reliable sources, the two Congress leaders are set to openly declare their support to the Sarma-led BJP government amidst the widening rift that is getting more apparent within the Congress party. 
One Congress leader is North Karimganj MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, and the other is Basantha Das from Mangaldoi constituency who are all set to show their support to the Assam CM.

"For the development of the greater good of the state, we are with the Assam Chief Minister," said Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha to India Today NE. 

Mangaldoi MLA, Basanta Das, confirmed to IndiatodayNE that he has been actively attending all the programs led by the Chief Minister in his constituency. He also organized the Khel Maharan program in his constituency. Das openly supports the Assam Chief Minister's developmental initiatives.

This development comes in even as there is a rift growing within the Congress, with the main focus being the distribution of tickets for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. 

There have been strong rumours going around that veteran Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi might be jumping ship to the BJP, as he may likely be replaced in the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat with Gaurav Gogoi. 

On the other hand, there is another rift emerging between Samaguri MLA Rockybul Hussain and Barpeta MP Abdul Khaleque as Hussain is rumoured to be given the ticket for Dhubri seat, and this has not gone down well with Khaleque, who also wants to contest from Dhubri as the last delimitation exercise has affected his scope of winning in his current Lok Sabha constituency of Barpeta. 

If reliable sources are to be believed, then there is no internal communication among the top leaders within the Assam Congress unit with regards to the distribution of tickets for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. In fact sources have pointed out that the level of distrust within the Congress leaders has increased to such an extant that a state of confusion is prevailing with a sense of frustration creeping upon the sitting MPs over fears that they might get replaced. 

The Congress has been having a tough time as several of its leaders have already jumped ship to the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. 

Earlier on January 28, expelled Assam Youth Congress president Angkita Dutta, along with former MLA Bismita Gogoi joined the BJP while making various allegations against the party leadership, with Angkita specifically targeting Rahul Gandhi. 

Sitting Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi's tone in recent days has also been witnessed to take a shift as there are strong rumours that he may get replaced by Gaurav Gogoi in the Nagaon seat, resulting in the theory that he may be jumping ship to the BJP soon. 

And now with Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha's confirmation about his plans to support the Assam CM, it is to be seen who else ends up joining the saffron brigade in Assam, giving further setback to the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.