GUWAHATI, July 12 - BJP legislator Shiladitya Dev, who has courted controversy many times over the years due to his public comments, has decided to quit the saffron party. Dev, first-term MLA from Hojai constituency, is likely to formally resign from the BJP on July 14.
He has informed State BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass about his decision vide Whatsapp.
�I have served the BJP for 30 years but never lobbied for any post. I once served as the State unit spokesperson of the party. Even people who joined the party five years ago or even three years ago have secured bigger posts in the organisation. I never lobbied for any post, nor have I demanded to be made a minister. I have no regrets on that count,� he said.
Dev said, unlike earlier times, the situation in the BJP is now different.
�It is like cricket. You should be in the team till you are playing well. But when you realise that your presence in the team will hurt it, then it is better to leave. I also feel that if I remain, maybe it will hurt the party... So it is better to depart. I was elected MLA by the blessings of the masses. I will continue to serve them for the remaining few months of my term as MLA,� said Dev.
He, however, added that he will continue to be �with the masses�.
�Do not assume that I will go away from the masses. Also do not assume that I am going to join any other party. But I will keep serving the people. I will complete my duty as an MLA and give my report card to the public,� said Dev.
He did not use the term �resign� and instead used the words �retirement from BJP� while referring to his decision to quit BJP.
Dev alleged that an influential BJP leader is responsible for creating �groupism� in the State BJP, but refused to take names.
�People still have a lot of faith in the BJP and to sustain it, the party�s leadership should take corrective steps,� the MLA said.