Following the resignation of Assam Lok Sabha MP, Pradyut Bordoloi, from the Congress, party leader Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday termed the development as "unfortunate" and "truly regrettable," expressing disappointment over his exit.
Bordoloi reportedly submitted his resignation to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, ending his long association with the party amid allegations of internal dissatisfaction. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Priyanka Gandhi said, “It’s very unfortunate. I think he was upset over one ticket allocation, and I wish we had had a chance to discuss it.
It’s truly regrettable.” Meanwhile, Purnia MP Pappu Yadav said the party is taking the resignation seriously and acknowledged its significance. “The BJP often creates such break-ups. While it may not affect the party’s core ideology, such developments can have an impact during elections.
The top leadership will certainly take this seriously,” he said. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, Priyanka Chaturvedi, also expressed concern, alleging that leaders from the Congress are being repeatedly poached. “It is a matter of concern that leaders from the Indian National Congress are being drawn into the Bharatiya Janata Party, with even elected representatives switching sides,” she said.
Echoing similar concerns, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Ashutosh Verma pointed to two possible reasons behind the resignation. “Either he did not receive adequate respect within the Congress, or there may have been external pressure. In recent years, several Opposition leaders have shifted towards the BJP,” he said.
On Tuesday, in a letter addressed to Mallikarjun Kharge, Bordoloi expressed “an overwhelming sense of sadness” while announcing his decision to step down from all posts, privileges, and responsibilities within the party. The brief resignation letter, dated March 17, did not specify the reasons behind his exit, but sources indicate that the move comes amid growing internal dissent and shifting political alignments in Assam.
Bordoloi also recently wrote a letter to the Congress leadership expressing his displeasure with the functioning of the Congress party and its state president, Gaurav Gogoi. The central leadership of the Congress did not issue any statement on Bordoloi's letter, which might have fuelled his exit from the party.