Guwahati, Feb 18: Senior Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition in Assam Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, on Wednesday categorically ruled out joining the BJP. With this, he has put to rest intense political speculation triggered by recent remarks of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the impending defection of former Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Borah.
Saikia’s statement came in the backdrop of Sarma’s repeated assertions that more Congress leaders would cross over to the BJP following Borah’s scheduled joining of the ruling party on February 22. Without naming Sarma directly, Saikia said he had once admired the simplicity and personality of a particular leader but was later disappointed by comments that, according to him, hurt the sentiments of the people of Assam.
He added that the same leader subsequently acknowledged the warmth and inclusive nature of Assamese society, indicating a partial course correction. However, Saikia made it clear that ideological differences remain irreconcilable.
“In the name of Gandhian ideology, I cannot support any form of politics that divides the Assamese people,” he said, firmly rejecting the BJP’s political overtures. He asserted that he would not join the BJP under any circumstances and declared the issue “closed”.
In a pointed message amid the churn within the Congress, Saikia said he values the guidance he received from senior leaders during his years in the Assembly but believes that meaningful political progress comes through sustained struggle, not through what he described as “shortcuts”.
The remarks are being seen as a direct response to Sarma’s claim that several Congress leaders, including Saikia, were in touch with the BJP leadership and could switch sides in the near future. Sarma has also publicly suggested that the Congress in Assam is heading towards organisational collapse, especially after Borah’s exit. With Borah set to join the BJP on February 22, Saikia’s unequivocal stand positions him as one of the few senior Congress leaders attempting to project ideological consistency at a time when the party’s Assam unit is facing unprecedented political erosion.
IANS
