Assam BJP MP Ram Prasad Sarmah quits party
Guwahati: In a jolt to the BJP in Assam, its sitting MP from Tezpur Ram Prasad Sarmah Saturday announced that he quit the saffron fold and alleged neglect of old workers by "new intruders in the party"
Sarmah said he was resigning from the primary membership of the BJP after serving the RSS and VHP for 15 years and the BJP for 29 years.
"I have left BJP today. I really feel pained in my heart for those old BJP workers of Assam who are most neglected in the party by the new intruders in the party," he said in a Facebook post.
Sarmah's name was not included in the party's panel of probable candidate for Tezpur Lok Sabha seat. It only had the name of Assam minister and NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The list has been sent to Delhi and the names of the candidates for the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam is scheduled to be announced Saturday.
"I felt greatly insulted when my name, a sitting MP and the President of Assam Gorkha Sammelan, did not find place in panel sent up by the state BJP committee," Sarmah in another post on the social media platform.
He, however, said that he would continue to serve the people of Assam and his constituency "till the end of his life".
Sarmah alleged that "old guards" of the party who had toiled for decades and brought the BJP to power were now "most neglected and ill treated".
"I was strongly raising my voice on their behalf. Now there will be none to raise voice for them," he claimed.
He thanked the people for their help, support and love for him and asserted that he will be still with the people of the constituency.
Sharma, who belongs to the Gorkha community, was elected to the Lok Sabha the first time in 2014 from the Tezpur Parliamentary constituency which has a sizeable Gorkha population.
His candidature was at stake since his daughter's arrest in connection with the APSC job scam.
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India beat SA by 135 runs in 4th T20I, clinch series 3-1
Johannesburg, Nov 15: India beat South Africa by 135 runs in the fourth and final T20 International to clinch series 3-1 here on Friday.
Opting to bat, India posted a massive 283 for 1, thanks to unbeaten centuries from Tilak Varma (120 not out off 47 balls) and Sanju Samson (109 not out off 56 balls), and then bowled South Africa out for 148 in 18.2 overs.
Tristan Stubbs top-scored for South Africa with 46 while David Miller contributed 36.
For India, pacer Arshdeep Singh was the most successful bowler with figures of 3/20 while Varun Chakravarthy (2/42) and Axar Patel (2/6) got two wickets each.
Hardik Pandya, Ramandeep Singh and Ravi Bishnoi got a wicket each.
Brief Scores:
India: 283 for 1 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 109 not out, Tilak Varma 120 not out; Lutho Sipamla 1/58).
South Africa: 148 all out in 18.2 overs (Tristan Stubbs 46, David Miller 36; Arshdeep Singh 3/20).
