Day after Bhupen Borah's resignation, Himanta Biswa Sarma to meet him in Guwahati
India Today
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma publicly reached out to former state Congress chief Bhupen Borah after his resignation, calling him the "last prominent Hindu leader" to rise from the party's grassroots and expressing hope he will join the BJP.
The resignation of former Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah on Monday triggered swift political manoeuvring in poll-bound Assam, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma set to meet him on Tuesday, even as senior Congress leaders moved quickly to persuade Borah to reconsider his decision.
“Shri Bhupen Bora remains the last prominent Hindu leader to have emerged as a grassroots worker of the Assam Congress. At his invitation, I will meet him this evening. It is my heartfelt wish that by joining the BJP family, he further strengthens our resolve to serve the nation and Assam,” Sarma said, casting Borah’s move as politically symbolic.
Borah, who headed the Assam Congress from 2021 to 2025 before being replaced by Gaurav Gogoi, sent his resignation letter to party president Mallikarjun Kharge, alleging he was being “ignored” and not accorded his due in the state unit despite 32 years in the organisation. A two-time MLA from Bihpuria, Borah has been regarded as a grassroots leader within the party.
Sarma said Borah’s resignation sent a broader message that “no one from a normal family can prosper” in the Congress, contrasting it with his own political journey from a middle-class background to the chief minister’s post in the BJP. He also said the BJP would welcome Borah and promised to help him secure election from a “safe seat” if he chose to join the saffron party. At the same time, Sarma added that even if Borah declined, he would extend his best wishes.
Responding to the Chief Minister’s proposed visit to his residence, Borah said, “If any CM wants to visit my home, it is a matter of pride for me.” He also drew a parallel with Sarma’s own exit from the Congress years ago, questioning the party’s internal democracy and asking how long such politics would continue.
Senior Congress leaders, including Gogoi, MP Pradyut Bordoloi and Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, met Borah at his Guwahati residence, urging him to reconsider. Gogoi described him as a “pillar of strength” and apologised if he felt hurt over internal issues.
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