January 4, 2022: Is Paban Singh Ghatowar the next Congress leader to join BJP?

Speculations have started arising in Assam following senior Congress leader Paban Singh Ghatowar's meet with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Duliajan last night during the ongoing SP Conference.

Singh has been elected Member of Parliament for five times: 10th Loksabha, 11th Lok Sabha, 12th Lok Sabha, 13th Lok Sabha and 15th Lok Sabha. He was also the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Development of North Eastern Region and Parliamentary Affairs from July 2011 to May 2014.

The five-time Dibrugarh MP first entered the Lok Sabha in 1991 after a long innings in the Indian National Trade Union Congress, Assam, where he was General-Secretary, working for the welfare of tea garden labourers. After 2009 Indian general election, he was made the chief whip, Congress Parliamentary Party, Lok Sabha. He has been Union Deputy Minister, Labour in 1991–93, Union Deputy Minister, Health and Family Welfare in 1993–95 and Union Minister of State, Health and Family Welfare.

It may be added that last year within months after the results of 2021 Assam Elections were declared, Congress MLAs Sushanta Borgohain and Rupjyoti Kurmi had defected to the BJP. Later, both had won the by-elections contesting as BJP candidates.

Prior to this in 2020, senior Congress leader Ajanta Neog too had joined BJP. She subsequently won the 2021 Assembly election from the Golaghat constituency on a BJP ticket defeating her nearest rival from the Congress Party.