Three suspended legislators from the Indian National Congress joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday in Guwahati, a development that comes as political parties begin intensifying preparations for the upcoming Assam Legislative Assembly elections. The MLAs—Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, Basanta Das, and Sashi Kanta Das—formally joined the BJP at the party’s state headquarters in the presence of senior party leaders.

The three lawmakers had earlier been suspended by the Congress for alleged anti-party activities. Their defection follows another recent political shift in the state, with former Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah also joining the BJP last month. The latest move is being viewed as a significant development in the evolving political landscape of Assam ahead of the state elections.

The leaders were welcomed into the party by Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia and other senior members of the state unit. Speaking to the media after the induction ceremony, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described the occasion as an important moment for the party. He said the decision by the three MLAs to join the BJP reflected the growing support for the party and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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After joining the BJP, Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha said the decision was taken keeping in mind the interests of the nation and the security of Assam. He added that the BJP-led government had worked to advance the state’s development and that supporting the party would help strengthen efforts aimed at improving both security and economic progress in the region.

Sashi Kanta Das described the day as a historic moment in his political career and praised the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Basanta Das also expressed confidence that joining the BJP would help accelerate development in his constituency, stating that he believed working with the ruling party would bring greater opportunities for growth and infrastructure development.

The defection of the three suspended Congress MLAs comes at a politically significant time, as parties across the state begin organising strategies and consolidating support bases ahead of the Assam Assembly elections. Observers say such shifts could influence party dynamics and electoral calculations as the campaign season approaches.

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