Assam CM Confirms Bhupen Borah's BJP Induction on February 22
In a significant political development, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Tuesday evening that former state Congress president Bhupen Borah will formally join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on February 22. This announcement came within 48 hours of Borah resigning from the Congress party, ending weeks of speculation about his next political move.
Major Political Gain for Ruling Party
After meeting Borah at his Guwahati residence, Chief Minister Sarma described the impending induction as "a major gain for the ruling party" and provided specific details about the joining ceremony. Sarma characterized Borah as the "last recognised Hindu leader in the Congress party" in Assam, emphasizing that his politics has always been rooted in the Assamese community.
"He was the last recognised Hindu leader in Congress. His politics is primarily with the Assamese community," Sarma stated, adding that the Congress party no longer represents mainstream Assamese people. The Chief Minister further alleged that other Congress leaders primarily rely on minority votes to secure electoral victories.
Grassroots Leader Strengthens BJP
Sarma highlighted that BJP would benefit significantly from Borah's entry because he is a "grassroots level leader" whose induction would "obviously strengthen the party." The Chief Minister expressed particular enthusiasm about welcoming Borah, stating "We are very happy to have him in our party" and assuring that Borah would receive "all sorts of respect, dignity" within the BJP organization.
Providing historical context, Sarma referenced Borah's loyalty to former Congress Chief Minister late Hiteshwar Saikia, whom Sarma also described as his early political mentor. Both Sarma and Borah joined the Congress party around the early 1990s, and the Chief Minister contrasted their political backgrounds with dynastic politics prevalent in other parties.
"Joining BJP will be like homecoming for him. BJP is a party with lots of people like us whose fathers did not occupy high offices," Sarma remarked, emphasizing the party's meritocratic approach.
Mass Joining Events Planned Across Assam
The Chief Minister revealed detailed plans for Borah's induction, noting that he would join the BJP in Guwahati alongside a sizeable group of Congress leaders. Additionally, another set of leaders will join the party in Borah's home district of North Lakhimpur, indicating a coordinated political shift across multiple regions of Assam.
Sarma confirmed that BJP national president Nitin Nabin has approved Borah's entry and extended a formal welcome to the former Congress leader. This high-level endorsement underscores the significance the BJP leadership attaches to this political development.
Background of Borah's Congress Exit
Bhupen Borah recently served as campaign committee chairman of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, where he was tasked with advancing opposition unity efforts. His resignation on Monday ended a three-decade association with the Congress party and was reportedly linked to multiple internal conflicts.
These internal tensions included differences involving the Dhubri MP and earlier conflicts with Assam PCC chief Gaurav Gogoi, who replaced Borah last year as state party chief. The timing of Borah's resignation and subsequent BJP joining suggests a carefully planned political transition.
Electoral Implications and Future Predictions
Regarding electoral prospects, Chief Minister Sarma stated that Borah would be offered a constituency where BJP can win comfortably in future elections. The Chief Minister also dismissed the threat of opposition unity, claiming that opposition parties could win at most 24 seats where minority votes prove decisive.
In a bold prediction, Sarma forecast further defections from the Congress party, specifically mentioning that Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia would lose the next assembly polls and eventually join BJP. He also predicted that Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi would enter BJP two months before the 2029 Lok Sabha election.
Sarma made a striking long-term projection, suggesting that Congress would become politically insignificant by 2031, with Akhil Gogoi's Raijor Dal emerging as the main preference of minority voters. "Primarily the grassroots Muslim Congress workers will go to Raijor Dal and the Hindus will come to BJP," Sarma asserted, outlining what he sees as a fundamental realignment of Assam's political landscape.
Strategic Significance for Assam Politics
This development represents more than just an individual politician changing parties—it signals potential shifts in Assam's political dynamics. The BJP's successful recruitment of a former state Congress president with deep grassroots connections could influence voter perceptions and party alignments across the state.
The timing of this announcement, coming well before the next electoral cycle, gives BJP ample opportunity to integrate Borah and other joining leaders into their organizational structure while potentially weakening Congress's remaining support base in Assam.
