After father joins BJP, Prateek Bordoloi exits Margherita race, remains in Congress

Guwahati, Mar 19: A day after former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), his son Prateek Bordoloi has withdrawn his candidature from the Margherita Assembly seat, citing the “present circumstances” following his father’s political move.

In a letter addressed to All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge, Prateek said it would not be appropriate for him to remain in the electoral fray.

“In the present circumstances, following my father’s decision to join another political party, I feel it would not be appropriate for me to continue as a candidate,” the letter stated.

The letter, dated March 18 and accessed by The Assam Tribune, underscores Prateek’s attempt to maintain organisational clarity at a time of political flux.

Emphasising his commitment to the party, he noted that the people of Margherita and Congress workers “deserve absolute clarity”.

“My decision is guided purely by my respect for the organisation and my desire to uphold the values and discipline of the Congress party,” he added.

The decision reportedly followed a meeting with AICC Assam in-charge Jitendra Singh and senior observer DK Shivakumar on Wednesday night.

Prateek, who currently serves as co-chairman of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee’s social media department, said he would continue to work for the party despite stepping aside from the contest.

“I wish to reiterate that my faith in the ideals of the Congress remains unwavering. I will continue to work for the party and for the development of Margherita in whatever capacity the leadership deems appropriate,” the letter said.

His withdrawal comes a day after his father, Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi, formally joined the BJP at Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s residence in New Delhi.

Responding to questions earlier about his son’s political future, Pradyut had maintained that political decisions within the family are independent.

“I have taken every decision of my life on my own. I had no godfather in the Congress. I told my son he is an adult and the decision rests with him,” he had said.

State Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, on Wednesday, backed Prateek’s candidature, stating that the party would consult its central leadership as the situation evolved.

With Prateek Bordoloi stepping out of the race, attention now turns to the Congress’s next move in Margherita and how it plans to recalibrate its strategy in the constituency ahead of the Assembly polls.