Former state Congress president Bhupen Borah on Monday resigned from the party resulting in a setback to the Congress ahead of the Assembly polls in Assam.
Borah, who was the president of the state Congress unit till Gaurav Gogoi took charge last year, said he submitted his resignation to the party’s central leadership on Monday.
After quitting Congress, Bhupen Kumar Borah said, “I don’t deem it necessary to speak on why I resigned. I have certainly resigned and sent my resignation to the high command…Whenever I think it necessary, I will call you and speak in detail…Akhil Gogoi has told me that his doors are open for me. Lurin Gogoi also called me up. CM has not called me up…CPI(M) has also called me up. Congress high command also called me up. But this is not a big deal. You know a little about why I resigned; everyone knows it. All of this started from Behali…I have told the PCC chief that if the Congress party can’t even decide on who they want with them in Majuli yatra, then we need to look at the future of the party.”
Who is Bhupen Borah?
Bhupen Borah is the former president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee from 2021 to 2024. He served two-terms as a member of the Assam Legislative Assembly representing Bihpuria from 2006 to 2016.
Borah was born on 30 October 1970 in Pohumora, Lakhimpur, Assam. He graduated from North Lakhimpur College and Dibrugarh University. He was vice-president of North Lakhimpur College Students’ Union and general secretary of Dibrugarh University Postgraduate Students’ Union.
Borah was president of the Assam Pradesh Youth Congress. He was elected to the Assam Legislative Assembly from Bihpuria in 2006, and re-elected in 2011. He was a spokesperson and parliamentary secretary for the Government of Assam during Tarun Gogoi’s tenure as Chief Minister. In 2013, he was appointed a secretary of the All India Congress Committee. In 2021, he was appointed president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said the future of the Congress in the state is “grim,” following the resignation of Bhupen Borah from Congress.
The CM called Borah’s decision a “symbolic message” reflecting the party’s changing dynamics and internal challenges.
Speaking to the reporters, Assam CM said, “Bhupen Borah was the last Hindu leader in the Assam Congress party who did not occupy the post of MLA or minister. His resignation carries a symbolic message that in Congress, no one from a normal family can prosper. He has accused Congress of appeasement politics. I welcome the resignation.”
He further added that, “Borah has not contacted us for any joining. Tomorrow evening I will visit his house. Three years ago, we were ready to welcome Bhupen Borah and give him a safe seat.”
Highlighting the Congress’ situation in Assam, CM Sarma remarked, “Congress’s position in Assam is terrible. Three observers have come here for the selection of candidates. They have been assigned an MLA from the minority community. The situation is really grim. In many district offices of Congress in Assam, meetings begin with a religious prayer from a particular community. The Congress in Assam is changing fast. People are noticing it. Bhupen Borah’s resignation carries a symbolic message that Congress has lost its last Hindu leader.”
On the prospect of new entrants into the BJP, he said, “For anyone to join the BJP, we need to do a lot of calibration within the party, as we don’t have vacancies. All the seats where a Hindu, Indian or Indian Muslim can win are filled. I can predict that people will resign from Congress, whether or not they join the BJP…After Gaurav Gogoi’s Pakistan link, a lot of Hindu Congress leaders are joining the BJP at the grassroots. 4-5 MLA will also join (10-15 days later), but we are not encouraging them to do so now as there is a Rajya Sabha election pending, “CM Sarma added.
The remarks came after Bhupen Borah resigned from the Congress.
