Rajen Gohain, a former Union Minister and one of the senior faces of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam, formally joined the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) in Guwahati today. His move comes almost a month after he resigned from the BJP on 9 October, ending his long association with the party.
The joining event was held at the PWD auditorium in Guwahati. Gohain reached the venue with a group of supporters and was welcomed by senior AJP leaders, including party president Lurinjyoti Gogoi, Chitta Basumatary, and Jagadish Bhuyan. The event drew curiosity from political watchers and supporters, as there had been strong speculation about his next political move since his resignation.
Gohain, who served as a four-time Member of Parliament from Nagaon and was the Minister of State for Railways in the first term of the Narendra Modi government in 2016, was once seen as a strong pillar of the BJP in the state. He had also served as the state president of the BJP before moving into national politics. 
Speaking at the joining ceremony, Gohain said that he decided to join AJP after long thought and discussion with his well-wishers. He said that he believes the interests of Assam can be protected only by regional forces, and he wishes to work sincerely for the people in his new role.
“I have always done my duty wherever I have worked. I will continue to do the same here,” he said. He added that his decision was made with a clear mind and with a hope to contribute positively to the state.
Gohain has been openly expressing his unhappiness with the BJP leadership in Assam for some time. While resigning from the party last month, he had said that he was disappointed with the direction the party had taken in recent years. In his remarks to the media after resigning, he had stated, “I have been patient for a long time. But it is highly dissatisfying. We did not join this party to watch people’s faces. We came here to see the ideals of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L. K. Advani. Now the party has gone into someone else’s hands.”
At that time, he had also mentioned that only regional parties could represent and protect the real interests of Assam, which led to strong speculation about whether he would join AJP or another regional outfit. He had also mentioned Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) leader Hagrama Mohilary during his earlier comments, which added to speculation.
