Guwahati, Oct 17 (IANS): A host of leaders from various opposition parties in Assam, including two elected representatives and two tea tribe leaders, on Sunday joined the ruling BJP.

State BJP President Bhabesh Kalita welcomed the leaders at a function in the party office here.

A BJP statement said that two Bodoland Territorial Region Council members - Rajib Brahma and Prabhat Basumatary, tea tribe leaders Gautam Dhanowar and Pradip Majhi, former state Congress secretary Sailen Kalita, Chumi Kalita, Himangshu Setia, student leader Hirak Das and cultural activist Sekhar Jyoti Baishya were among those who joined the party.

Slamming the Congress, Dhanowar and Majhi claimed that those who have self-respect cannot remain in it as it has "no vision for the future" for both itself and the the country.

The Congress leaders said that they joined the BJP influenced by the developmental policy of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.