Guwahati, Feb 7 (IANS): As many leaders form the Congress and other parties have switched to BJP in Assam recently, the state Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Pijush Hazarika claimed that opposition leaders were forced to join the saffron camp due to the immense development work done by the ruling fold. He asserted that this trend will continue in the coming days.

Angkita Dutta, the former Assam youth Congress president who was expelled from the party after she brought harassment allegations against the national youth Congress president Srinivas B.V., joined the BJP last week.

Along with Dutta, former Congress minister in Assam, Bismita Gogoi and ex-president of All Assam Students Union (AASU), Dipanka Nath also joined the saffron camp.

Hazarika told reporters here on Tuesday evening: “The leaders were lined up for coming to our party because the BJP has done unprecedented development in the state. The opposition leaders have seen that people are with us. The Congress party in Assam has nothing to say against the government.”

Drawing examples from some recently held autonomous council polls in the state, the minister argued: “In every election, BJP has been doing better than before. In the last Lok Sabha polls, we won nine seats. This time, BJP is set to win at least 11 or 12 seats in Assam.”

Meanwhile, the opposition leader in Assam assembly, Debabrata Saikia said: “Those who have joined BJP have done so in their own capacity. The Congress party has nothing to comment on this. But the BJP people must acknowledge that many promises made by them 10 years ago are still unfulfilled.”