Guwahati, May 18 (IANS) Former Leader of Opposition in the Assam Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, on Monday dismissed rumours of joining the Bharatiya Janata Party and contesting the upcoming by-election from the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency, terming them “completely baseless” and part of a “deep conspiracy”.​

Addressing reporters, the senior Congress leader asserted that he remains firmly with the Congress party and has no intention of leaving the organisation or contesting any by-election.

“I have always been in politics to serve the people and will continue to do so. The rumours being spread by a section of people regarding my joining the Bharatiya Janata Party and contesting from Nagaon are entirely false and politically motivated,” Saikia said.​

He further alleged that attempts were being made to sideline him from Assam politics, but described such efforts as “bound to fail”.​

The by-election to the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat has become politically significant after Congress Member of Parliament Pradyut Bordoloi switched to the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the recent Assembly elections.​

Bordoloi, who had won the 2024 Lok Sabha polls on a Congress ticket, later contested the Assembly elections from Dispur on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket and secured a comfortable victory.​

Saikia also raised concerns about what he termed growing threats to democracy and criticised the Election Commission’s functioning.​

“The current situation is worrying. We are witnessing a weakening of democratic institutions, and the role being played by the Election Commission has been disappointing,” he alleged.​

The Congress leader further slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government over the rising prices of essential commodities, claiming that common people were suffering from inflation immediately after the elections.​

Without naming Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma directly, Saikia took a swipe at those calling him “Chanakya”, saying that Chanakya’s principles emphasised respect for educated people and the avoidance of wastage of public money, values he claimed were absent in the present dispensation.​

He also accused the government of indulging in “fake degree politics” and making false promises instead of addressing the real issues faced by the people.​

Saikia reiterated that the Congress party’s fight for the people of Assam would continue and expressed confidence that “truth will ultimately prevail”.​

–IANS​

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