HT Digital
June 7, Friday: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has encountered a rare internal rebuke within the BJP following the loss of the Jorhat Lok Sabha seat, a contest he had turned into a personal prestige battle. Congress candidate Gaurav Gogoi won the seat with a 1.4-lakh margin, highlighting friction between old and new factions within the Assam BJP.
Related Posts:
Despite the BJP-led NDA winning 11 out of 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam, the loss of Jorhat, where Sarma personally led the campaign, has spurred dissent. Gaurav Gogoi, the Congress face in the Lok Sabha, defeated sitting BJP MP Topon Kumar Gogoi, leading to public congratulations from some BJP MLAs, which exposed internal divisions.
Mrinal Saikia, a two-time BJP MLA from Khumtai and former ULFA member, congratulated Gaurav Gogoi, prompting a stern response from Sarma, who implied Saikia might defect to the Congress. Saikia responded on social media, emphasizing his long-standing association with the BJP and criticizing the notion that congratulating an opposition member is inappropriate.
