Assam AAP leader Kamal Kumar Medhi joins BJP day after Modi's visit to state

Guwahati: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched infrastructure development projects worth Rs. 11,600 crores in Assam, Kamal Kumar Medhi, the prominent face of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state, joined the BJP.

Medhi, who was vice-president of AAP's Assam unit, joined the saffron party in Guwahati in the presence of Bhabesh Kalita, president of BJP's state unit, and minister Jayanta Malla Baruah, beside others.

Medhi had begun his political career with Akhil Gogoi, Assam MLA from Sivasagar and the Opposition face in the state. But he later joined Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2019.

Later he quit Congress and joined AAP's state unit. Medhi was AAP's most prominent face in the state, where the Arvind Kejriwal-led party launched a membership drive to strengthen its cadre base ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

"The development works being done under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CM Himanta Biswa Sarma encouraged me to join BJP. People in my village asked me to join BJP given the way the party is working for development of the state and protection of Assam and the Assamese people. We have seen how PM Modi launched several projects in Assam yesterday," Medhi said after joining BJP on Monday.

Medhi was one of the leaders who was vocal against Himanta Biswa Sarma since his student days. "The way Sarma is working to curtail corruption and push development led me to change my position against him," Medhi said.

A Congress leader, Kuldip Baruah, who contested the Assembly elections in Sipajhar Assembly constituency in 2021 polls, also joined the ruling party on Monday. A few other leaders and members of AAP, Trinamool Congress and Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, a peasants' rights body led by Akhil Gogoi, also joined the ruling party.