Day after quitting Congress, former Assam unit chief Bhupen Borah meets CM Himanta; to join BJP on February 22

Guwahati: A day after resigning from Congress, Bhupen Kumar Borah, the former president of the Opposition party's Assam unit, decided to join ruling BJP on February 22 and contest the ensuing Assembly elections.

Borah, the two-time former MLA, announced his decision after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited his residence in Guwahati on Tuesday evening.

Borah, who was replaced by MP Gaurav Gogoi as the party's state president in May last year, send his resignation letter to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday morning. In the letter, he had expressed dismay over the way the party is being run in the run up to Assembly elections. Soon drama unfolded as several AICC leaders including Rahul Gandhi called Borah and some even met him in Guwahati. Gaurav even apologised to Borah in front of cameras and requested him to withdraw his resignation. Borah had indirectly stated that the party was being run by Rakibul Hussain, a Lok Sabha member from Dhubri, who had defeated Badruddin Ajmal in 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

But Borah sought time till Tuesday morning. The CM, who was supposed to meet him in the morning, postponed it till evening.

Sarma, with Borah sitting beside him, announced in the evening that the former APCC Chief along with a few other Congress leaders would join the saffron party on February 22.

"In BJP, Borah will be accorded the dignity and respect he deserves keeping in mind his stature," Sarma said. "He did not get the respect in Congress." Borah and Sarma had joined Congress in 1994 but Sarma quit the party in 2015 following conflict with Tarun Gogoi, the CM then and father of Gaurav.

Borah, who served as APCC President between 2021 and May 2025, isblikely to be fielded as BJP candidate from Bihpuria Assembly constituency in North Assam.