DIPHU, June 21 - Around 300 BJP workers who were originally members of the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC), returned to their old political party at a programme held at Tarabasa in Phuloni recently.
The BJP workers were warmly welcomed by ASDC president Holiram Terang, vice president Chomang Kro and general secretary Jotson Bey.
Khonsing Hanse, former BJP president of Phuloni constituency, while joining ASDC again, said he had joined the BJP but was later disillusioned as the party was not giving importance to many issues despite coming to power.
�I quit the saffron party because there is no statehood agenda. Like me, people working for the region cannot work in the BJP. I was an ASDC worker, but joined the BJP in the interest of the autonomous state agenda. Our efforts helped the BJP win in Phuloni in the Assembly elections as well as in the KAAC election. Now there is a rift among the top BJP leaders in Karbi Anglong. I found no hope of fulfilment of the statehood demand by the BJP. Hence, I along with our 300 workers have again joined the ASDC,� Hanse said.
The BJP workers handed over their BJP membership cards to ASDC president Holiram Terang.
ASDC general secretary in-charge and former MLA Chandra Kt Terang said both the BJP and the Congress were not the parties for the common people of Karbi Anglong, and will never implement the statehood demand.
He said the elected leaders of the region were not interested in agitating for an autonomous state, and the only option remaining was through a mass movement.
ASDC president Holiram Terang, while welcoming back the BJP workers, said their returning has strengthened the regional party. He said the ASDC will soon re-launch a mass movement for statehood.
Terang accused the BJP of deceiving the people of Karbi Anglong by promising to give an autonomous state. �The BJP had promised to bring achche din (good days), but people are facing bad days,� the ASDC leader said.
He urged the ASDC workers to work to defeat the BJP and the Congress in the 2019 parliamentary elections.
ASDC vice president Chomang Kro and general secretary Jotson Bey also addressed the party workers.
