Guwahati, February 18 Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi said on Wednesday that those who have joined the ruling BJP have become "insignificant" in their political journey.
Addressing a press conference here, Gogoi said former state Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah, who is likely to switch over to the BJP on February 22, will also face a similar fate.
The deputy leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha also challenged Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to a "face-to-face" debate on Hinduism to determine who is better informed about the actual ethos of the religion.
"Those who have joined the BJP have become insignificant. We can see the example of Sarbananda Sonowal and many others. The AGP (Sonowal's previous party) is on the verge of extinction. I don't think I need to specifically talk about Bhupen Borah joining the BJP," he said.
Gogoi said the upcoming assembly elections will be a contest between the "real Congress" and the "old Congress".
"The BJP is full of old Congress leaders who were the most corrupt during the 15-year rule of the Congress in the state. Basically, we will be fighting amongst ourselves in the election," he said.
Speaking about the chief minister's characterization of Borah as the "last Hindu leader" in the Congress, Gogoi alleged that Sarma is "Assam's Jinnah" and that he should stop giving "Hindu certificates" to politicians.
"I want to challenge Himanta Biswa Sarma to an open debate on Hinduism. Let us see who knows better and has more details about the Hindu religion. Let's see if he dares to accept my challenge. But I know that he will never accept it," the Congress leader claimed.
Gogoi questioned Sarma's loyalty to the Hindu religion by referring to the alleged cow syndicate in the state.
"The person who encourages and allows a cow syndicate cannot be a true Hindu. He (Sarma) is Assam's Jinnah, and he has no right to give Hindu certificates to others," Gogoi alleged.
In a setback to the Congress ahead of the Assam assembly polls, the CM had on Tuesday announced that Borah would join the BJP on February 22.
Sarma had on February 17 visited the residence of Borah, the former state Congress president, in Guwahati, a day after the senior leader resigned from the opposition party.
"The Congress is like an ocean; we are all just water drops in it. The Congress has been there long before our fathers and forefathers existed. Bhupen Borah's departure will not affect our party's prospects in the assembly polls," Gogoi said.
He also pointed out that Sarma had last week accused Borah of indecent gestures towards women and had registered a police case against him, and asked what would happen to the case now.
"The CM publicly criticized Borah over the case. His police registered a case against senior Congress leaders Debabrata Saikia and Mira Borthakur, along with Borah. The police even interrogated them. And now suddenly Borah has become a big Hindu leader!" Gogoi claimed.