Gautam Roy, a former Congress minister and a well-known leader from Assam’s Barak valley, joined the ruling BJP in Guwahati on Sunday along with former Rajya Sabha member Santiuse Kujur.

The joining

Roy entered the party in the presence of Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and state BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass. He said he was inspired by the BJP’s ideology and would work to spread it in the Barak valley. Youth Congress leader Hiranya Bhuyan also joined the BJP at the event.

Break with the Congress

Roy had been suspended by the Congress in June over anti-party activities, after he handed out sweets to celebrate the BJP’s wins in the Silchar and Karimganj Lok Sabha seats. On Saturday night, the party issued a hurried press release announcing his expulsion.

BJP’s view

Welcoming the three leaders, Sarma said Congress leaders who still had public support were moving to the BJP. “Our ideology is India’s nationalism,” he said, adding that he too had joined as a worker.

Sarma said the arrival of Roy and Kujur would strengthen the BJP and help the party in its goal for the 2021 Assam assembly election.

What happened next

In the 2021 Assam assembly election, the BJP won 60 seats and the Congress 29. Himanta Biswa Sarma became Chief Minister after the election.

See also: Bharatiya Janata Party and elections.

Originally published on 12 August 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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