Former Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah, who is set to join the BJP on February 22, has alleged that he was humiliated by Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi in public and that the party high command failed to act despite his complaint.
Speaking to news agency ANI on Wednesday, Borah said he had devoted 32 years to the Congress party. “Congress made me from an MLA to APCC president. When I became president in 2021, the party was in alliance with AIUDF. I broke that alliance. Even before the INDIA bloc was formed, I forged alliances with 16 parties,” he said.
He claimed that during a by-election, it was decided that one seat would go to CPI(ML), but the candidate’s name was changed at the last minute to someone who had never been a Congress member. “Gaurav Gogoi couldn’t win that seat,” Borah alleged.
Referring to alliance talks earlier this month, Borah said he was asked during a February 9 video conference to rebuild alliances. “I began discussions. On February 11, Gogoi said I should take Rakibul Hussain along. But on February 13, he publicly said I had created confusion. I asked why he humiliated me in front of everyone, but he gave no answer,” Borah said, adding that he also informed Rahul Gandhi but received no response.
His remarks came a day after Assam Chief Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma met him and announced that Borah would join the BJP.
Meanwhile, Gaurav Gogoi accused Borah of leaking confidential party information to a journalist allegedly close to Sarma. He said rumours about Borah’s proximity to the Chief Minister had now proven true. Gogoi further alleged that Borah’s swift move to the BJP showed Sarma’s “desperation” amid Congress’s campaign targeting alleged land holdings linked to the Chief Minister’s family.
Gogoi also referred to a pending inquiry against Borah by the Women’s Commission, claiming Sarma had earlier criticised Borah’s conduct but was now projecting him as an “upright Hindu leader.”
