GUWAHATI, Feb 17: In a significant boost to the ruling BJP ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, former Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Kumar Borah has decided to “stick to his resignation from the Congress” and is now set to join the BJP on February 22.
The announcement was made before mediapersons by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who visited Borah at his Ghoramara residence here on Tuesday evening and had a threadbare discussion that lasted for over an hour.
The meeting came a day after Borah had tendered his resignation from the Congress, a party he served for 32 years, even as he subsequently sought time to make a final decision after the party’s high command leadership did not accept his resignation and attempted to persuade him to reconsider.
“My one-time colleague in the Congress, former APCC president and chairman of Congress’ election campaign committee, Bhupen Borah had yesterday resigned from the Congress. Today, I came to meet him and now I am delighted to inform you that Borah will formally join the BJP on February 22. Our state BJP president Dilip Saikia will decide at what time Borah will join our party. With him, many other Congress leaders, workers and members will join BJP in Guwahati, as well as in North Lakhimpur,” Sarma said.
The chief minister said BJP national president Nitin Nabin has also welcomed Borah’s entry into the BJP, and the veteran leader would be given the honour that befits his stature in the party.
“Bhupen Borah was the last Hindu face in the Congress and has been contesting for the people belonging to the Assamese mainstream from Bihpuria constituency unlike some of the other Hindu leaders in the Congress who have fought elections from seats where the minority community is a majority,” Sarma said.
Sarma reiterated that Borah would contest from a “safe” seat (in all probability Bihpuria or Nowboicha as an option) in the coming elections.
“For a leader of the stature of Bhupen Borah, there can be no bargaining. He has not left Congress for contesting elections from a seat. He could have easily bargained a ticket for a seat of his choice in the Congress when the senior leaders had come to his residence yesterday to pacify him. But he did not,” the chief minister said, adding that Borah will enjoy his stint in the BJP which will be an ideal platform for a leader like him.
The chief minister said that the senior Congress leaders did not address the core reason due to which Borah had to leave a party he has served from the grassroots for over three decades.
“If the Congress had addressed the reason and taken corrective action, Borah would have remained in the party,” he said.
Notably, Borah’s exit from the Congress, marks a major setback for the Congress in Assam, particularly at a time when the party has lost a few other leaders and is staring at more defections as it grapples with internal challenges and uncertainties.
On the contrary, Borah’s entry into the BJP is expected to reinforce the ruling party’s consolidation strategy, less than two months ahead of the Assembly elections.
