In a major setback for the Congress ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, three of its sitting legislators in Assam switched allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday. The MLAs — Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, Sashikanta Das and Basanta Das — formally joined the BJP at a programme led by state party president Dilip Saikia, in the presence of Union minister Pabitra Margherita.

The political development comes just months before elections to the 126-member Assam Legislative Assembly, expected to be held in April. Along with the three MLAs, former Congress functionary Parsha Bob Kalita and ex-Trinamool Congress leader Kangkan Nath also entered the BJP fold.

Purkayastha represents the Karimganj North constituency, while Sashikanta Das and Basanta Das are legislators from Raha and Mangaldoi (SC) respectively. All three had won their seats in the 2021 Assembly polls, defeating candidates from rival parties by comfortable margins. Over the past few years, they were seen as being increasingly aligned with the ruling party’s policies and leadership.

Their move follows the recent defection of former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah, who joined the BJP in February after decades with the Congress. The opposition party has also lost two other legislators in recent weeks, further weakening its position in the state.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier hinted that more opposition leaders were likely to cross over to the BJP as part of a broader political realignment ahead of future elections. He stated that the party has already begun long-term preparations, including groundwork for the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.

With multiple high-profile exits in a short span, the Congress faces mounting challenges in Assam as the state heads toward another electoral battle.