More than 150 members of the Congress and the All Assam Students’ Union joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in Assam on Sunday, days after the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra passed through the state, The New Indian Express reported.

Among those who switched sides are former Assam minister Bismita Gogoi, expelled Youth Congress state president Angkita Dutta and former All Assam Students’ Union president Dipanka Kumar Nath.

“I have to admit Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Bus Nyay Yatra has created a huge impact in Assam,” Assam minister Pijush Hazarika wrote on X. “Over 150 leaders have joined BJP today.”

More than 700 members of various organisations joined the BJP in Gauhati on Sunday in the presence of Hazarika, state chief Bhabesh Kalita and minister Jayanta Malla Baruah, the party’s state unit said on X.

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After joining the BJP, Bismita Gogoi, who was the former general secretary of the All India Mahila Congress in Assam, alleged that women are no longer safe in the Mallikarjun Kharge-led party.

“Congress stooped so low that they discussed even about my blouse,” she alleged. “They said my blouse has a lotus and as such, I am joining BJP. I am hurt that they are not respecting women. I cannot take names but I was told that a Congress leader, entrusted with an important responsibility, said this.”

Dutta, who was last year expelled from Congress after she made allegations of harassment against Youth Congress national president Srinivas BV, alleged that Congress idealogy has been reduced to rebranding Gandhi and that the Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra are parts of that endeavour.

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She said that Gandhi ignored all those who had secured votes for the Congress when his march passed through her native place, Amguri.

The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is a large-scale outreach programme of the Congress led by Gandhi. He is slated to travel 6,200 kms across 15 states.

Also read: In Assam, Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra draws sympathy for Rahul Gandhi – support still some distance away