Guwahati, Feb 18: Former Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah, who is set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on February 22, has claimed that the party’s state unit is no longer being run by its president Gaurav Gogoi but instead revolves around Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain.
Borah alleged that Gogoi is now “just the mere face of the party”, suggesting that organisational control within the Indian National Congress in Assam has shifted.
“Rakibul Hussain, who had won the Dhubri seat by over 10 lakh votes, is the sole base of the party,” Borah claimed, pointing to the scale of the MP’s electoral victory as evidence of his influence.
He also revealed that after submitting his resignation letter to the Congress high command, he received a call from Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. According to Borah, Gandhi spoke at length about the “relationship we shared since 2007”.
“He mentioned how we helped the party grow, and he helped me over the years, which is true, but he did not say a word about my resignation letter,” Borah said.
Earlier, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced that Borah would formally join the BJP on February 22 following a meeting at his residence.
Borah’s remarks further underscore the growing strain within the Assam Congress as it navigates internal realignments and the exit of senior leaders ahead of the next electoral cycle.
