Former Assam Congress president Ripun Bora joins TMC

Former Assam Congress president Ripun Bora on Sunday joined the TMC in the presence of party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

Kolkata: The Assam Pradesh Congress leader Ripun Bora quits Congress with a two-page long resignation letter to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Sunday and joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the presence of the party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

"Delighted to welcome Former Minister of Panchayat & Rural Development, Minister of Education in Assam, former Rajya Sabha MP & former President of Assam Pradesh Congress committee! He joined us today in the presence of Abhishek Banerjee " the Trinamool Congress said on Twitter.

Banerjee welcomed Bora, "Extending a very warm welcome to Ripun Bora, a stalwart and skilled politician, who joined the All India Trinamool Congress family today. We are extremely pleased to have you onboard and look forward to working together for the well-being of our people."

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that it is natural for ex-MP Ripun Bora to resign from the Congress after MLAs of his own party "worked for his defeat" in last month's Rajya Sabha election. He also alleged that Congress leaders who had come from New Delhi for the election too contributed to Bora's defeat. Congress MLAs worked towards the defeat of Bora, that is true, the chief minister said.

Earlier, on March 31, Ripun Bora was betrayed by his party MLAs as well as allied All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MLAs in the Rajya Sabha election. Bora had polled only 35 votes in the Rajya Sabha election despite the combined strength of the opposition parties in the Assam Assembly being 44.

(With agency inputs)