Assam Congress Chief Bhupen Borah to Join BJP in Major Pre-Poll Defection

This comes a day after Bhupen Kumar Borah submitted his resignation from Congress.

Addressing a press conference alongside Borah, Sarma said that BJP Assam President Dilip Saikia will work out the details of the joining, which has been approved by the party's National President Nitin Nabin.

The announcement comes a day after Borah submitted his resignation to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

"Bhupen Borah will join the BJP on 22nd February. Dilip Saikia will work out the details. Along with him, a good number of Congress leaders will join the BJP in Guwahati and North Lakhimpur. He is the last recognised Hindu leader in Congress. Our National President Nitin Nabin has already approved his joining and welcomes him," he said.

"Bhupen Borah will be accorded all due respect and dignity. Joining the BJP will be like a homecoming for him because it is a party with many people like him, whose fathers did not occupy any high offices," he added.

Showing BJP's strength, Assam CM Sarma said, "Bhupen Borah's joining will completely create an image, which is a reality too, that Congress is no longer a party of mainstream Assamese people."

Borah had tendered his resignation on Monday, expressing dissatisfaction over the party's internal decision-making, particularly regarding participation in the Majuli yatra.

"I have told the PCC chief that if the Congress party can't even decide on who they want with them in the Majuli yatra, then we need to look at the future of the party," he remarked.

Commenting on the issue, Sarma said that a genuine Congress leader would feel "pain" if the party was not fighting to win elections. Referring to his own exit from Congress in the past, he said he had faced similar circumstances.

He further alleged that certain decisions within the Congress reflected internal inconsistencies and criticised what he described as feudal attitudes in party functioning.

"... If you go to Majuli and take one particular leader in the Yatra, then that means you don't want Congress to win. A genuine Congress leader will feel pain that this party is not fighting to win elections. I have gone through the same pain. When I went to join the BJP, I even got those calls. These people live like a feudal lord. They think they will make one call and the decision will be changed... If someone says I have gone to Islamabad to see Park Hotel, and you give approval to those people, then aren't you anti-national?" Biswa said.

Following Borah's resignation, Congress leaders reached out to him. All India Congress Committee (AICC) state in-charge Jitendra Singh stated that Borah had "withdrawn" his resignation after discussions with the party leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, and that the resignation had not been accepted.

"Senior Congress leader Bhupen Borah is an important member of the Congress family. He had sent his resignation to our party's national president. Sometimes, differences arise within the Congress family. The Congress president has not accepted his resignation. Party leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, had a long conversation with him. We have resolved it through dialogue. I thank Bhupen Borah for withdrawing his resignation," Singh said.

Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi, who also visited Borah, praised him, calling him a "strong Congress leader" and an "asset" to the party amid ongoing internal discussions within the state unit.

Assam is scheduled to hold Assembly elections later this year, where the BJP-led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is seeking to retain power while facing a resurgent Congress. The meeting between Borah and the Chief Minister has intensified political speculation as parties prepare for the upcoming polls.

- ANI