On February 16, the Assam Congress faced a significant setback when Bhupen Borah, the former state unit chief, resigned ahead of the state assembly elections. However, after the high command rejected his resignation, he requested more time to reconsider his decision.
Besides, Abdur Rashid Mandal, a three-time sitting MLA, also left the Congress and joined the Raijor Dal, another opposition party.
Borah's resignation letter, claiming he was "ignored" by the leadership, triggered a political storm in the state. The party's high command claimed that he had withdrawn the letter, while Borah requested time to reconsider. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma invited Borah to join the BJP.
Later that day, Mandal, representing the Goalpara West constituency, joined the Raijor Dal in the presence of Akhil Gogoi, the Raijor Dal's chief.
"I am happy to join the growing Raijor Dal under Gogoi. I am looking forward to strengthening his efforts as a dedicated worker," Mandal said during the joining ceremony.
However, an Assam Congress spokesperson told
Regarding Borah, who is also the party's election campaign committee chairman, AICC state in-charge Jitendra Singh stated that he had withdrawn his resignation letter following intervention from the party leadership, including president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.
"The party leadership had discussed the matter with Borah. Rahul Gandhi also spoke to him for 15 minutes," Singh told reporters.
"This is an internal matter. We discussed the issues bothering him, and I thank him for agreeing to withdraw his resignation," he said.
Emerging from his residence, Borah said he had sought time from the high command to reconsider his decision.
"My old colleagues and the party's central leadership came to my house, and I respect them. I have sought time until tomorrow morning so that I can talk to my family and make a decision," the 55-year-old leader said.
Besides Singh, Assam unit chief Gaurav Gogoi, MP Pradyut Bordoloi, leader of the opposition in the Assembly Debabrata Saikia, and other party MLAs met Borah at his residence after he sent a resignation letter to the party high command.
Gaurav Gogoi stated that Borah was a "pillar of strength" for the party, and he had always spoken out against negative forces in the state.
"Borah is a true Congressman, a courageous leader with Assamese culture, civilization, and the party's ideology of bringing everyone together deeply embedded in his DNA," he said.
Gogoi said he apologized to him "as a younger brother" if he felt hurt due to certain issues in the party.
"This is a complex matter for us. We are also learning one step at a time, and hope that in the future, he will guide us so that not only the Congress, but also other opposition parties, will be strengthened," the deputy leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha said.
In his resignation letter to Kharge, Borah claimed he was being "ignored" by the party leadership and not being given due recognition in the state unit.
Chief Minister Sarma said the BJP's doors are open for Borah, and promised to help him get elected from a "safe seat" if he joined.
Sarma stated that Borah was the "last Hindu leader" in the Congress without a family background – father or mother not holding a ministerial position or being an MLA.
"His resignation carries the symbolic message that in the Congress, no one from a normal family can prosper. The Congress does not give recognition to people from ordinary families, but I come from an ordinary middle-class family, and the BJP has made me a chief minister. We stand against the politics of hereditary power," he told reporters.
Sarma said he will go to Borah's residence tomorrow evening, and discuss his plans for the future.
"Borah has not contacted me or the BJP till now, and at present, we are not in direct or indirect contact," the CM said.
"If he wants to join the BJP, we will welcome him, but even if he does not, we extend our best wishes to him," he said.
Borah was the president of the Assam Congress unit from 2021 to 2025, and was replaced by Gaurav Gogoi last year. He has been a two-time legislator from Bihpuria in Assam.
The United Opposition Forum, Assam, also appealed to Borah to withdraw his resignation, with its spokesperson and Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi saying that the forum will not allow him to leave the opposition camp at any cost.
"No one from the United Opposition will let him join the BJP, even if PM Narendra Modi or Home Minister Amit Shah comes. He was, is, and will remain with us. Who will allow him to leave? We will carry him everywhere," Gogoi said.
Borah is hurt due to some issues in the Congress, but their party leaders are talking to him, and the matter should be resolved soon, the independent MLA said.
"Even if he does not stay in the Congress, be assured that he will not join the BJP. He will be made the senior-most leader of the forum, and if he does not agree to this, then I will relinquish the president's post of Raijor Dal, but will not allow such an experienced person to join the BJP," he said.
Elections to the 126 assembly constituencies in Assam are likely to be held in March-April this year.
