Assam: BJP's Rajkumar Brahma jumps ship to Bodoland People's Front

Digital Desk: Senior party official and former Kokrajhar district BJP President Rajkumar Brahma has joined Hagrama Mohilary's Bodoland People's Front (BPF), a major blow to the incumbent BJP.

Both his job and his primary BJP membership were duly resigned by Brahma.

Kabita Basumatary has been named the new district president of Kokrajhar by the BJP, in an attempt to fill the void left by Brahma.

It's important to remember that Brahma contested in the 2015 Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections as the BJP's candidate from the Baokhungri seat.

Brahma officially joined the BPF on Tuesday, along with four other BJP leaders: Biplab Debnath, Bijoy Kumar Saha, Naboranjan Barman, and Chandan Tarpadar. Hagrama Mohilary and other party officials were present at the event. 

Reports state that Brahma's dissatisfaction with the party leadership—he felt marginalized—played a role in his decision to leave.

"The BTR organisation has lost its integrity. I want to state that the organisation is operating without any order or ethics. I had even asked the president to let me finish my work, but he did not listen. I am hurt that he took such a decision due to conspiracy and lobbying against me. Therefore, today I have joined the BPF," Brahma said. Meanwhile, Hagrama Mohilary, the head of the BPF, claimed that numerous leaders from the BJP and the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) will be defecting from the organisation.

"BJP has lost its wings. The BPF is going to win the Lok Sabha elections. We hope that every community will come together in support of us. The BPF is becoming more and more favourable every day. Our intention is to run for two Lok Sabha seats. In this aspect, nothing has changed. On November 30, we will reconvene to discuss this issue. Though there have been media reports, the BJP has not formally contacted us. No party has gotten in touch with us, including the Congress and the AIUDF. We already made the decision to run independently of any party and win the elections," Mohilar stated.