<p>Opposition AIUDF MLA Phanidhar Talukdar on Sunday said he will resign from the party and the assembly to join the ruling BJP next week.</p>.<p>Talukdar is set to become the third legislator after Congress' Rupjyoti Kurmi and Sushanta Borgohain to put in his papers and be a part of the saffron brigade.</p>.<p>"I have decided to resign from my party. I will join the BJP on September 1," he told reporters without elaborating.</p>.<p>Talukdar is a first-time MLA from the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF). He represents the Bhabanipur constituency, and has unsuccessfully contested from the seat several times in earlier assembly polls.</p>.<p>As an AIUDF candidate, he got 55,975 votes against ruling ally Asom Gana Parishad nominee Ranjit Deka's tally of 52,748 votes, becoming the only Hindu MLA from the party that predominantly has a Muslim base.</p>.<p>After Talukdar’s resignation, the AIUDF's strength in the 126-member House will come down to 15.</p>.<p>At present, the BJP has 60 MLAs, but effectively the number is 59, as Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal is yet to resign from the assembly.</p>.<p>The ruling alliance partners, the AGP has nine and UPPL five MLAs, while the Congress' strength is 27.</p>.<p>Byelections will now take place in six seats - one MLA each of the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) have died, while two Congress legislators have resigned to join the BJP.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos:</strong></p>
<p>Opposition AIUDF MLA Phanidhar Talukdar on Sunday said he will resign from the party and the assembly to join the ruling BJP next week.</p>.<p>Talukdar is set to become the third legislator after Congress' Rupjyoti Kurmi and Sushanta Borgohain to put in his papers and be a part of the saffron brigade.</p>.<p>"I have decided to resign from my party. I will join the BJP on September 1," he told reporters without elaborating.</p>.<p>Talukdar is a first-time MLA from the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF). He represents the Bhabanipur constituency, and has unsuccessfully contested from the seat several times in earlier assembly polls.</p>.<p>As an AIUDF candidate, he got 55,975 votes against ruling ally Asom Gana Parishad nominee Ranjit Deka's tally of 52,748 votes, becoming the only Hindu MLA from the party that predominantly has a Muslim base.</p>.<p>After Talukdar’s resignation, the AIUDF's strength in the 126-member House will come down to 15.</p>.<p>At present, the BJP has 60 MLAs, but effectively the number is 59, as Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal is yet to resign from the assembly.</p>.<p>The ruling alliance partners, the AGP has nine and UPPL five MLAs, while the Congress' strength is 27.</p>.<p>Byelections will now take place in six seats - one MLA each of the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) have died, while two Congress legislators have resigned to join the BJP.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos:</strong></p>