Phanidhar Talukdar, MLA of All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) from Bhabanipur, resigned from the party on Tuesday, citing the “the larger interest” of his constituency and the people of Assam.
Talukdar, a first-time MLA with the AIUDF, said he was “all set to join the BJP on September 1.”
Talukdar told The Indian Express; “I had no problem with the AIUDF but I am very impressed with the work done by the BJP, especially Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Therefore, I am sacrificing my seat for the betterment of my constituency.”
In his resignation letter to the AIUDF president, Talukdar said he was immediately stepping down as secretary of the AIUDF legislative unit.
He said in his resignation letter; “In addition, I am also withdrawing my primary membership of the AIUDF party in the larger interest of the people of my constituency and the people of Assam.”
Talukdar joined the AIUDF six months before the March Assembly elections.
Earlier to that, he had unsuccessfully contested as an independent candidate from Bhabanipur constituency of Bajali district in 2011 and 2016.
In the 2021 elections, he won against NDA ally Asom Gana Parishad candidate Ranjit Deka by nearly 3,000 votes.
Talukdar’s resignation opened another constituency for by-elections besides Bhabanipur, by-elections are to be held in at least five constituencies (Tamulpur, Gossaigaon in Bodoland, and Mariani, Majuli, Thowra in Upper Assam) in the next few months.
Talukdar’s resignation comes a day after the Congress announced that it would sever ties with its ally, citing the AIUDF leadership’s “continuous and mysterious praise” of the BJP.
