Assam polls: Father joins BJP, son Prateek Bordoloi withdraws candidature from Congress

Guwahati, March 19 (IANS) In a significant political development ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, Prateek Bordoloi on Thursday withdrew his candidature from the Margherita Assembly constituency, citing “present circumstances” following his father Pradyut Bordoloi's switching sides to join the BJP.

In a letter addressed to Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress president and chairman of the party’s Central Election Committee, Prateek Bordoloi conveyed his decision with “utmost respect and a deep sense of responsibility towards the party”.

“With utmost respect and a deep sense of responsibility towards the party, I wish to convey my decision to withdraw my candidacy from the Margherita Assembly Constituency,” Prateek Bordoloi stated in his letter.

Explaining the reason behind his move, he said that in light of his father’s decision to join another political party, it would not be appropriate for him to continue as a Congress candidate. Though he did not name the party explicitly, the development comes after Pradyut Bordoloi joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Bordoloi emphasised that his decision was taken to avoid any confusion among voters and party workers. “The people of Margherita and the countless dedicated Congress workers deserve absolute clarity and confidence in the party’s candidate,” he noted, adding that any ambiguity regarding his commitment could be unfair to both the electorate and the party.

Reaffirming his loyalty to the Indian National Congress, he said his faith in the party’s ideals remains “unwavering” and that he would continue to work for its growth and for the development of Margherita in any capacity assigned by the leadership.

Bordoloi also expressed gratitude to the party leadership for the trust and encouragement extended to him over the years, highlighting his long association with the Congress from a young age.

The withdrawal is expected to have political implications in Margherita, as parties recalibrate strategies in the run-up to the polls.

Former senior Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi on Wednesday joined the BJP in the national capital in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He is set to contest the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.

Following his joining the BJP, Pradyut Bordoloi claimed that he was “deeply hurt” and “left with no option” but to resign from Congress, alleging repeated humiliation and a lack of a conducive environment within the party’s Assam unit.

--IANS

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