Guwahati: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Masuma Begum and Chatra Mukti Sangram Samiti (CMSS) general secretary Pranjal Kalita joined the BJP in Guwahati on Tuesday.
The CMSS is the student wing of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), a peasant organization in Assam. CMSS leader Pranjal Kalita was a key figure in the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) movement in the state.
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Masuma Begum, formerly representing Ward No. 42 of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), cited her belief in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as her reason for joining the BJP.
Begum was the only AAP councilor in Guwahati.
“Whatever work I could accomplish during my time with AAP was actually facilitated by BJP-led initiatives. That truth must be acknowledged,” she stated.
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Begum also emphasized her desire to serve the people more effectively and expressed her intention to contest the 2026 Assembly elections if given the opportunity. She further denied any discrimination in the GMC fund distribution under the BJP.
“Many of the issues we raised during the CAA protests have now been addressed. I was misled by the Opposition’s narrative, but I’ve corrected my course. I have been drawn to the BJP’s ideology, its governance, and the work it has done for the people,” Kalita said.
He also attributed his current outlook to his education at institutions inspired by Srimanta Sankardev, stating, “We are not with those who seek to divide the country. I have realised where I went wrong, and now I’m here to stand with a party that puts India first.”
Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah hailed the defections as a significant blow to the opposition, emphasizing the BJP’s team spirit and service-oriented approach.
BJP state president Dilip Saikia termed the mass induction a “journey from darkness to light” and urged party workers to increase voter turnout in the upcoming polls. “Our target is to increase voter turnout from 70.2% to 80.2%. If there is a political battle, the BJP will win it,” he declared.