Guwahati, Feb 17: In a significant political development ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, former Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Kumar Borah is set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on February 22, days after a high-profile meeting with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at the latter’s Ghoramara residence in Guwahati.
The February 17 evening meeting between Sarma and Borah has fuelled intense political speculation across the state. Sarma visited Borah’s residence in the Ghoramara area, where he was welcomed by family members with a traditional ‘aarti’, a gesture widely viewed as politically symbolic.
The meeting came a day after Borah resigned from the Indian National Congress. Although the party’s central leadership did not immediately accept his resignation and reportedly attempted to persuade him to reconsider, Borah later sought time from the high command to review his position.
Sources indicated that internal deliberations within the Congress failed to reverse his decision, paving the way for his formal induction into the BJP later this week.
Earlier, Sarma had publicly stated that the BJP’s doors were open for Borah and suggested he would help secure a “safe seat” for him in the upcoming Assembly elections should he decide to switch sides.
The Chief Minister’s remarks, coupled with the Ghoramara meeting, have significantly intensified speculation of an imminent political shift.
Borah’s departure is seen as a setback for the Congress in Assam, particularly as the party navigates internal challenges and leadership uncertainties. His move is expected to reshape the state’s political landscape ahead of the elections.
With Borah’s formal joining scheduled for February 22, the development signals a potential realignment in Assam’s political equations, reinforcing the BJP’s consolidation strategy in the region.
