After resigning from the Congress party, Bhupen Kumar Borah on Wednesday reflected on his 32-year-old political career, highlighting his journey from MLA to Assam Congress chief and his role in shaping party alliances in the state.
Borah said he had started talks with all concerned, but claimed that on February 11, Gaurav Gogoi directed him to include AIUDF leader Rakibul Hussain in the talks.
Despite his efforts to coordinate with multiple parties, Borah claimed that on February 13, Gogoi accused him of creating misunderstandings in front of others. He also contacted Lok Sabha Lieutenant Governor Rahul Gandhi regarding this matter and said that he cannot tolerate such insults, but he did not get any response.
He said, “I started talks. On the 11th, Gaurav Gogoi said, ‘You should not go alone, take Rakibul Hussain along with you’. I was talking to all parties, but on the 13th, Gaurav Gogoi announced that Bhupen Borah had created a misunderstanding. I asked him why he insulted me in front of everyone, but he did not answer. I also told Rahul Gandhi that I would not tolerate such an insult. Can’t afford it. But no one said anything,” he said.
Borah pointed out that when he became APCC president in 2021, the Congress was in alliance with the AIUDF, which he ended, and later, before the formation of the India Alliance, he successfully partnered with 16 different parties.
Borah said, “I gave 32 years to the Congress party. Congress took me from MLA to APCC president. When I became president in 2021, Congress was in alliance with AIUDF. I broke the alliance. After that, before the India alliance was formed, I made alliance with 16 parties.”
Borah alleged that during the by-election, the seat allotted to the CPI (ML) was suddenly given to a candidate who had never been a Congress member, resulting in the current Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi losing the seat. He informed that a video conference on coalition formation was held on February 9, in which he was asked to lead the talks.
He further said, “In the by-election, it was decided that CPI(ML) would get one seat, but suddenly on the same night, the name of a person who had never been a Congress member was announced… Gaurav Gogoi could not win that seat… On February 9, a video conference was held regarding the alliance. I was asked to form the alliance again.”
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Assam Debabrata Saikia said that he respects Bhupen Kumar Borah’s long tenure and his contribution to the party. He further said that Borah had been their president and when he became an MLA for the first time in 2001, he had given him guidance on how to present his views in the Assembly.
Saikia said, “Let him go. I will give him my blessings… He was my president, we worked together, and when I became an MLA for the first time in 2001, he also told me a little about how to present my views in the Assembly. He gave me good advice. I don’t know what happened after that. I respect his guidance when I became a first-time MLA in the Assembly.”
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday announced that former Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on February 22, a significant political development ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections.
This incident happened a day after Bhupen Kumar Borah submitted his resignation from Congress.
Addressing a press conference along with Borah, Sarma said BJP Assam president Dilip Saikia will work out the details of the engagement, which have been approved by party national president Nitin Nabin.
The announcement comes a day after Borah submitted his resignation to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
He said, “Bhupen Borah will join the BJP on February 22. Dilip Saikia will complete all the formalities related to it. Along with him, many Congress leaders from Guwahati and North Lakhimpur will also join the BJP. He is the last recognized Hindu leader left in the Congress. Our national president Nitin Nabin has approved his joining and welcomes him.”