Ex-minister's desertion won't affect Congress: Assam CM tells Sonia

The decision by former Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to join the BJP will not affect the Congress much, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told party president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday.

Talking to the media here after a much anticipated meeting with the Congress chief, Gogoi said it was but natural for Gandhi to ask about the repercussions of Sarma's decision to join the rival party.

"Naturally, she wanted to know how Sarma's decision will affect the party and how many party members will move over along with Sarma," Gogoi said.

"I told her that we cannot say as such how many MLAs will move over with Sarma," he stated.

He also said it was for the party to take the strategic decisions following Sarma's move.

Former Assam health and education minister Sarma on Sunday met BJP president Amit Shah at the latter's residence here and announced his decision to join the party.

"I expressed my willingness to work under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and (BJP) national president Amit Shah and they have accepted it," he told the media outside Shah's residence after the meeting.

He later said he took the decision after being humiliated in the Congress for the past 13 months.