Guwahati: The brief resignation of senior Congress leader Bhupen Kumar Borah on Monday has once again exposed the internal strain within the Assam unit of the party, just two days before Priyanka Gandhi’s scheduled visit to the poll-bound state.
Early in the morning, Borah sent his resignation to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, marking a copy to Rahul Gandhi. The move caught many in the party off guard. A two-time MLA from Bihpuria and a Congressman since 1994, Borah served as president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee from July 2021 to May 2025 before being replaced by Gaurav Gogoi. He currently heads the party’s campaign committee for the upcoming Assembly elections.
Within hours, the party shifted into damage control mode. AICC general secretary and Assam in-charge Jitendra Singh, along with Gaurav Gogoi and other senior leaders, rushed to Borah’s residence in Guwahati. Rahul Gandhi is understood to have spoken to him personally. By afternoon, Jitendra Singh announced that the resignation had not been accepted and that Borah had agreed to withdraw it after discussions with the leadership.
Though the immediate crisis was defused, the episode has highlighted deeper tensions within the state unit.
Speaking to reporters, Borah said he had resigned on principle and not because of any individual. He declined to elaborate on the reasons immediately, saying he would speak at an appropriate time. “I have served the Congress for 32 years. I am concerned about the future of the party,” he said, adding that he does not believe in taking decisions in secrecy.
At the same time, Borah did not deny feeling sidelined. Reports suggest that issues of “self-respect” and being ignored in key decisions figured in his resignation letter.
In a significant remark, Borah said leaders from different political parties had reached out to him, including Akhil Gogoi and Lurinjyoti Gogoi. He also confirmed that the Congress high command had contacted him. However, he made it clear that he was not leaving the party or quitting politics.
The roots of the tension appear to go back to the Behali by-election. The state unit under Borah had reportedly decided to back a CPI-ML candidate as part of the Opposition alliance. However, the central leadership fielded Congress candidate Jayanta Bora after intervention from Gaurav Gogoi. Bora lost the election, and the episode is believed to have strained relations within the leadership.
Fresh friction surfaced during the Majuli leg of the ‘Samay Parivartanar’ Yatra earlier this month. Borah hinted at differences over decisions taken during the outreach programme, including who would represent the party. Though he did not name anyone, party sources suggest he was unhappy with certain inclusions in the delegation.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was quick to react to the developments. He described Borah as the “last Hindu leader” in the Congress without a political family background and said the BJP would welcome him. The remark is being seen as an attempt to widen divisions within the Congress ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
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The developments come at a time when the Congress in Assam is already facing erosion. On the same day as Borah’s resignation, Goalpara West MLA Abdur Rashid Mandal and suspended MLA Sherman Ali joined Raijor Dal. In recent years, several Congress MLAs have shifted to the BJP.
For now, the high command has managed to contain the immediate fallout. Borah remains in the party, and leaders are holding closed-door meetings to chalk out the way forward.
However, the episode has made one thing clear. Beneath the surface, factionalism and dissatisfaction continue to simmer in the Assam Congress. With elections expected in early 2026, the party can hardly afford another round of high drama.
Meanwhile, Bhupen Borah told journalists at his Ghoramara residence in Guwahati this evening that he felt disrespect and humiliation from the party leaders in the Congress."If such a situation is allowed to continue in the Congress party it will be like a suicide bomb" he said. Bhupen Kumar Bora likely not to withdraw his resignation letter and may join the BJP soon.
