GUWAHATI: The All Assam Student Union (AASU) seems to be grappling with a significant internal fracture as more than 300 former student union leaders and activists have chosen to abandon the union and join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The decision was revealed after a delegation led by former AASU leader Dibya Jyoti Medhi met with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to convey their support for the saffron party.
Medhi, who parted ways with AASU on November 21 along with several other workers, cited infighting and discontent among AASU members as the primary reasons behind their decision.
The delegation, expressing their backing for the BJP, is currently in talks with Chief Minister Sarma, with the joining process expected to conclude by the end of the week.
Medhi, addressing the press, explained, “Earlier I worked under the leadership of AASU, and now I will work according to the party leadership. We and the younger generation are attracted to the BJP in the chief minister’s journey of development. That’s why I have come forward to work with the BJP.”
The defection is particularly noteworthy as it occurred just days after a change in AASU’s leadership. Utpal Sarma and Shankar Jyoti Baruah have been appointed as the new president and general secretary, respectively, succeeding the union’s Morigaon convention on November 24.
The leadership transition follows the union’s decision during its 17th general conference in Duliajan town on November 22, where an age limit of 40 years was imposed for AASU members.
According to the amendments, any member or leader exceeding 40 years must retire from the organisation. This move is part of ongoing efforts to revitalise and rejuvenate the historic student organisation.
