GUWAHATI, Aug 21 - In a major development, the State unit of the ruling BJP, which has witnessed an inflow of leaders from other parties during recent weeks, has decided not to admit any more political personalities into its fold.
Addressing a press conference here today, State BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass said that the ruling party will not induct any professional politicians, political leaders or workers from other parties in Assam, barring the BTAD region, till further orders.
�Our national committee had directed us to conduct a primary membership drive in the State till August 20. During the period of this drive, people from diverse fields enrolled in the BJP. Now that our membership in Assam has crossed the 40-lakh mark, we have taken a decision that from tomorrow we will not induct any political personality into our party, whether at the booth, the mandal, the district or the State level, except in the BTAD region. As BTC elections are to be held next year, we have made an exception for the BTAD areas,� Dass said.
The latest announcement by Dass assumes significance in view of the fact that a number of senior leaders from other parties have crossed over to the BJP in recent times.
Among them were former State Congress president and Rajya Sabha member Bhubaneswar Kalita, former State minister and six-time MLA of Congress Gautam Roy, former Rajya Sabha MP Santiuse Kujur, former three-time MLA from Tinsukia RP Singh and State Congress secretary Hiranya Bhuyan.
Dass said that the decision not to admit any political figures into the party has been taken on account of the forthcoming organisational elections of the BJP as well as due to views expressed in favour of such a step by the party�s cadres.
�We want to create our own leadership base from among those who have already joined our party. However, we will continue to enrol members from among people who are engaged in other fields like teachers and academicians, social workers, rickshaw-pullers, domestic employees and people engaged in cultural and film sectors and so on,� he said.
Asked about reports that many other Congress leaders are in talks to join the BJP, Dass said, �If somebody is inducted by our party�s national committee then it is an entirely different matter.�
It is noteworthy that protests took place in BJP�s Hailakandi district unit against the induction of Roy into the party.
Meanwhile, a number of prominent women from different fields joined the BJP here today. Among others who joined the ruling party was former AGP minister and leader of the Assam agitation Rekha Rani Das Boro.
