Guwahati: Senior Congress leader Debabrata Saikia on Tuesday signalled that former Assam Pradesh Congress Committee chief Bhupen Borah may be on his way to joining the Bharatiya Janata Party, a day after Borah submitted his resignation from the party.
Addressing reporters in Guwahati, Saikia said expressed concern over Borah’s recent criticism of the Congress.
“Now, Bhupen Borah has started abusing the Congress. I feel that Bhupen Borah will join the BJP, but I cannot say what is on his mind,” he stated.
Borah, who has long been a prominent face of the party in the state, has in recent days taken a sharp stand against the organisation, sparking speculation about a possible shift in allegiance.
There has been no official statement from Borah confirming any move to the BJP. However, Saikia’s remarks are expected to further fuel political debate and add to the churn within the opposition ranks.
Former Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah on Monday morning announced that he had resigned from the party, bringing to an end his 32-year association with the organisation.
Speaking to reporters around 8 am, Borah said the decision was taken to “protect my self-respect”, a move that sent ripples through the already troubled opposition camp just weeks before the Assembly elections.
However, the political drama did not end there. As the day unfolded, senior party leaders stepped in, with Rahul Gandhi weighing in on the matter and Borah holding discussions with Gaurav Gogoi, the party’s Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Assam.
By evening, Borah indicated that he was reconsidering his decision.
“The Congress High Command was not fully aware of several developments within the Assam unit, which is why I felt the need to write to them. Today, senior party leaders met me and we had a detailed discussion. I have asked for a day to reflect on everything, and tomorrow I will meet Jitendra Singh once again to communicate my final decision,” he said.