After two Congress MLAs, opposition AIUDF legislator, Phanidhar Talukdar joined ruling BJP after resigning from the membership of the Assam assembly, official and party sources said on Thursday.
An Assam Assembly official said that the All India United Democratic Front MLA from Bhabanipur constituency submitted his resignation to Speaker Biswajit Daimary. With Talukdar’s resignation, five assembly seats fell vacant.
A senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party said that Talukdar on Wednesday met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who welcomed him into the saffron party fold.
The BJP leader said that Talukdar went to the state party headquarters on Wednesday night and formally joined the party in presence of state party President Bhabesh Kalita. Talukdar, who defeated BJP’s ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) candidate Ranjit Deka, on Thursday said he quit the AIUDF for “the larger interest” of the people of his constituency as well as Assam and would work for the welfare of the people of the state.