Former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Guwahati on Sunday, marking a major political realignment ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.
He formally entered the party in the presence of state BJP president Dilip Saikia at Vajpayee Bhawan.
Borah resigned from Congress on February 16, sparking intense drama. Senior leaders rushed to his residence, and Rahul Gandhi personally reached out to him. Although Borah initially asked for time to reconsider, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited him the next day and announced his move to the BJP.
Alongside Borah, former Congress worker Sanju Bora also joined the saffron party. Explaining his decision, Borah said he felt humiliated within Congress. He recalled a conversation with Rahul Gandhi where both acknowledged feelings of humiliation. Borah stated that he could not tolerate such treatment and chose to leave.
Responding to allegations from Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi that he accepted ₹50 crore to join the BJP, Borah dismissed the claim. He remarked that if such funds were offered, he would use them to fulfil his late father’s dream of building a stadium. He added that even ₹50 crore would not be sufficient for the project.
The Assam Assembly, with 126 seats, is expected to go to the polls in March-April. The BJP, led by Himanta Biswa Sarma, aims to defend its power against Congress in what is shaping up to be a high-stakes contest.
