Guwahati: In a jolt to the opposition Congress in Assam, Mariani legislator Rupjyoti Kurmi on Friday resigned from the party and the assembly, announcing that he will join the BJP soon.
The MLA from the tea tribe community alleged that the national and state leaderships of the Congress "ignore" the party workers at the grassroots and "do not provide an opportunity" to them to move ahead in its organisational structure.
The four-time MLA tendered his resignation from the assembly to Speaker Biswajit Daimary in the presence of Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika and Chief Minister's Political Secretary Jayanta Malla Baruah.
The legislator from Upper Assam's Mariani constituency said he has already sent his resignation letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
Kurmi announced that he will join the BJP on June 21.
The Congress, meanwhile, expelled him from the party with immediate effect.
Assam Pradesh Congress President Ripun Bora said in a statement that the decision to expel Kurmi for "his anti-party activities" was approved by the AICC.
Bora also constituted a 3-member team, led by former MLA Rana Goswami, to visit Mariani and take stock of the political situation there.