Sitting BJP MP in Assam quits over 'ill-treatment'

Guwahati: BJP MP from Tezpur constituency in Assam, Ram Prasad Sarmah, on Saturday announced his resignation from the saffron party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls citing "ill-treatment to old guards".

He took to Facebook to express unhappiness over ill-treatment to the old guard in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"I have left the BJP today. But I really feel deep pain in my heart for those old BJP workers who are neglected by the new intruders of the party. I was strongly raising my voice on their (old guard) behalf. But now there will be none to raise voice for them," Sarmah said in his Facebook post.

An advocate by profession, Sarmah had been associated with the BJP for a long time. He was also a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Vishva Hindu Parishad.

He was, however, entangled in several controversies since the last two years. After Sarmah started criticizing the BJP-led government in Assam for 'poor performance', his name cropped up in the multi-crore cash for jobs scam in Assam where one of his daughters was also found to be involved.

The BJP Parliamentary Committee is scheduled to announce the list of candidates for Assam later in the evening.

Sarmah was unlikely to get a ticket this time as the BJP is planning to field state Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma from the constituency, party sources said.