“Who are they to suspend me, the voters will suspend this new BJP on April 1,” Dilip Paul

Yesterday, Bharatiya Janata Party Assam Pradesh issued a letter announcing the suspension of Dilip Paul and 14 other leaders for going against the party’s decision and contesting the elections as independent candidates.

Today Silchar MLA Dilip Kumar Paul held a press conference at his election office and said that he is two minds. With a sarcastic tone he said, “I don’t know if I must cry or laugh at this suspension. Jokes apart, I find this suspension laughable. On March 10, at 2:40 pm I tendered my resignation as the party’s primary member. Why are they suspending me on March 18 and how is it logical?”

He went on to say that it has become clear that the BJP has “lost their mind.” He also took a jibe at Silchar MP and the party’s general secretary – Assam, Rajdeep Roy who signed the letter. Paul called him a self-proclaimed mastermind of the Barak BJP.

The former Deputy Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly said this is not the BJP that people love and admire. Instead according to him, it has now become a party where only the ones who follow “Yes Boss” mentality, the ones who play an active role in syndicate are getting tickets and recognition.

About the suspension, he said, “Who are they to suspend me, the voters will suspend this new BJP on April 1 by voting against them in large number and there is no doubt about it.”

He also spoke about the Prime Minister’s visit yesterday. “I was surprised by the speech of honourable Prime Minister. An energetic man like him looked so disinterested. Every time we see the prime minister shaking hands with the candidates but yesterday we saw him rushing away in no time. Why did he do that? Is it that he has got to know about the syndicates that these candidates operate. If that is the case then I am happy as I have repeatedly said that the central leadership must investigate the matter,” asserted Paul.

He is upbeat about his chances in the upcoming election. “I am doing foot marches everyday and the number of people participating these marches are growing leaps and bounds. There are 40,000 registered BJP members in Silchar and out of them. 90% have their body in the party office and Dilip Paul in their heart. I am being publicly supported by many of them while a large number of the BJP workers are silently backing me. With this support in the backdrop, I say I am going to win by a huge margin in the upcoming election,” added Paul.

He concluded by reminding people that Kabindra Purkayastha, former Cachar president Uday Shankar Goswami and the chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal was not involved in yesterday’s Modi-visit in Barak Valley. “The message is loud and clear and that is there is no place for honest experienced leaders in BJP 2.0 and the voters can see it,” he concluded.