GUWAHATI, Aug 28 - Former Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today confessed that he had submitted a list of 40 MLAs willing to join the BJP to State BJP president Siddhartha Bhattacharya about six months ago. This declaration came while Sarma was interacting with media-persons at the BJP head office here soon after his ceremonial induction.
Sarma said that it is up to the BJP leadership to decide whom they want to invite from the Congress. �The BJP already has a strong base in many constituencies. So it would not be pragmatic on my part to encourage more desertion from the Congress. It is up to the BJP leaders to take the decision in this regard,� said Sarma, adding that in the days to come, more Congress members will join the saffron party.
Sarma also announced that Congress politics is about to be over in the State. He predicted that in the coming Assembly election in the State in 2016, the Congress will be pushed to the fourth position with just 12 to 15 seats in their bag. �The BJP will sweep the Assembly election,� he said.
On the other hand, replying to a query, Sarma said that whatever he had said against the BJP earlier was the Congress view and not his personal. �Though I was in the Congress, I was always related to the cultural nationalism of the BJP and I have joined this party with a dream for Assam,� he said.
He further said that though he has left the Congress, he holds no grudge against anyone and will concentrate on his new found mission.
