Assam BJP dissolves minority cell after loss in Muslim seats

The BJP has decided to dissolve the Assam unit of its minority cell after no Muslim candidate of its alliance managed to win a seat in the state.

An order issued by the state BJP chief Ranjit Dass says the minority cell has been "suspended for an uncertain period of time".

The BJP had fielded eight Muslim candidates, but all of them lost.

Aminul Haque Laskar, BJP's only Muslim MLA in 2016, lost to AIUDF.

All the 31 elected Muslim MLAs are from the opposition -- 16 from the Congress and 15 from its ally AIUDF.

The treasury benches in the Assam Assembly will for the first time in at least 50 years have no Muslim representative.