Guwahati: Assam Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Nandita Garlosa joined the Indian National Congress on Sunday, March 22, after being denied a ticket by the Bharatiya Janata Party for the upcoming Assembly elections. She will now contest from the Haflong constituency in Dima Hasao district, according to a party statement.
The Congress had earlier nominated its state unit general secretary Nirmal Langthasa for the seat. However, he agreed to step aside and offer the ticket to Garlosa in what the party described as “greater public interest”.
“We are happy to announce that Nandita Garlosa has joined the Congress. She has been the voice of Dima Hasao for the last five years and has always stood by her beliefs and principles,” the party said.
The Congress also alleged that the minister “paid the price” within the BJP, claiming that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is “only interested in selling tribal land to large corporations”.
Garlosa, who represented Haflong in the outgoing Assembly, was replaced by the BJP with debutante candidate Rupali Langthasa for the upcoming polls.
A photograph shared by the Assam Congress media team showed Garlosa formally joining the party in Haflong, alongside Nirmal Langthasa and other leaders.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Garlosa’s residence in Haflong on Sunday. Neither Sarma nor Garlosa commented on the outcome of the meeting.
Elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly will be held on April 9, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4.
With PTI inputs