by Bhupen Goswami  (PNI)

Guwahati : Five more BJP MLA have come out openly against the Citizenship Amendment Bill(CAB) rattling the BJP top brass even as Dr Himanta Biswa Sharma led BJP is trying to bulldoze the CAB over Assam. After Sootea MLA Padma Hazarika coming out openly against the CAB, today it was the turn of the Lahowal MLA Rituparana Barua to openly revolted against the BJP decision of thrusting CAB. Speaking to Pratidin Time exclusively, the Lahowal MLA categorically said that the CAB was bad and detrimental for Assamese MLA and it would go against the Assam Accord.Mr. Barua is considered close to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and his revolt is considered very crucial in the state BJP. Mr. Barua was a former All Assam Student Union (AASU) leader. Already Assam Assembly Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami had issued a statement saying that decision to thrust CAB was hasty. 10 more BJP MLAs are expected to protest against CAB as resent was running high amongst the ruling party. Meanwhile Meghalaya and Mizoram were the only two states in the Northeast, whose Cabinets have directly opposed the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB). Keeping on the same track, Chief Ministers of Meghalaya and Mizoram meet the Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Friday. Along with the Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma, his nine cabinet ministers are also present at the meeting.If the Bill is not cancelled, Northeast will be bound to take a final call claimed the Mizoram CM Zoramthanga opposing CAB and added that all the CMs of the Northeastern states should come together despite belonging to various political parties. Giving assurances, Singh said that he will sit in a meeting with all the CMs of the Northeastern states.