<p>Guwahati: Former Congress president Bhupen Borah, who is set to join the BJP, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday night at the state guest house.</p>.<p>Borah met Shah in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP national vice president Baijayant Panda and Lakhimpur MLA Manab Deka.</p>.<p>After the meeting, Borah told reporters that the CM had asked him to meet Shah and so he came to make a courtesy call on him.</p>.<p>He claimed that by March 8, around 50 per cent of Congress members who have self-respect and ‘nationalist’ feelings for the state will join the BJP.</p>.<p>“There is a saying that politicians think about the next elections and a statesman about the future generations. After my conversation with him, I am assured that the future of the youth and the identity of the state can be safeguarded by a leader like him,” Borah said.</p>.<p>Asked whether he discussed probable seats from where he would contest, he said that no such discussion was held.</p>.<p>“I want to thank the CM again for already telling Shah about my humble background -- how, as a son of a school teacher, I struggled to reach where I am,” he said.</p>.<p>The two-time former MLA said that the people of Assam will find “me in BJP as the same Bhupen Borah who always raised his voice in the interest of the people and the state”.</p>.<p>Asked about the criticism against him by Congress leaders, Borah said that it will be surprising that anybody will praise him now, but on the day he resigned, senior leaders rushed to his house and called him a pillar of the party.</p>.Gaurav Gogoi just face of Assam Congress, Rakibul Hussain its 'sole base': Bhupen Borah.<p>He said that when he had left the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) to join the Congress in 1993, he had been defamed, but “I went on to become the best legislator in the assembly and the Congress made me its (state) president”.</p>.<p>“I will prove myself again when the BJP gives me the chance”, he added.</p>.<p>Regarding Raijor Dal President Akhil Gogoi’s allegation that Congress is not serious about the opposition alliance, Borah claimed that Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi considers him (Akhil) to be one of the reasons for the party’s defeat in the 2016 assembly polls.</p>.<p>Referring to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s two-day visit to Assam, Borah said that he respects and likes her.</p>.<p>“She always has a smiling face, but I did not see a single photograph of hers during her two-day visit in which she was smiling,” he added.</p>.<p>On whether her going to pay her tribute to singer Zubeen Garg at his samadhi was a political move, Borah replied, “No, it is not, as one has to go”.</p>.<p>Borah had resigned on Monday with Congress high command not accepting it and senior leaders rushed to his residence, while Rahul Gandhi also spoke to him.</p>.<p>He had asked for time to reconsider his decision, but the next day, the chief minister went to his residence and announced that he would join the BJP on February 22.</p>
<p>Guwahati: Former Congress president Bhupen Borah, who is set to join the BJP, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday night at the state guest house.</p>.<p>Borah met Shah in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP national vice president Baijayant Panda and Lakhimpur MLA Manab Deka.</p>.<p>After the meeting, Borah told reporters that the CM had asked him to meet Shah and so he came to make a courtesy call on him.</p>.<p>He claimed that by March 8, around 50 per cent of Congress members who have self-respect and ‘nationalist’ feelings for the state will join the BJP.</p>.<p>“There is a saying that politicians think about the next elections and a statesman about the future generations. After my conversation with him, I am assured that the future of the youth and the identity of the state can be safeguarded by a leader like him,” Borah said.</p>.<p>Asked whether he discussed probable seats from where he would contest, he said that no such discussion was held.</p>.<p>“I want to thank the CM again for already telling Shah about my humble background -- how, as a son of a school teacher, I struggled to reach where I am,” he said.</p>.<p>The two-time former MLA said that the people of Assam will find “me in BJP as the same Bhupen Borah who always raised his voice in the interest of the people and the state”.</p>.<p>Asked about the criticism against him by Congress leaders, Borah said that it will be surprising that anybody will praise him now, but on the day he resigned, senior leaders rushed to his house and called him a pillar of the party.</p>.Gaurav Gogoi just face of Assam Congress, Rakibul Hussain its 'sole base': Bhupen Borah.<p>He said that when he had left the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) to join the Congress in 1993, he had been defamed, but “I went on to become the best legislator in the assembly and the Congress made me its (state) president”.</p>.<p>“I will prove myself again when the BJP gives me the chance”, he added.</p>.<p>Regarding Raijor Dal President Akhil Gogoi’s allegation that Congress is not serious about the opposition alliance, Borah claimed that Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi considers him (Akhil) to be one of the reasons for the party’s defeat in the 2016 assembly polls.</p>.<p>Referring to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s two-day visit to Assam, Borah said that he respects and likes her.</p>.<p>“She always has a smiling face, but I did not see a single photograph of hers during her two-day visit in which she was smiling,” he added.</p>.<p>On whether her going to pay her tribute to singer Zubeen Garg at his samadhi was a political move, Borah replied, “No, it is not, as one has to go”.</p>.<p>Borah had resigned on Monday with Congress high command not accepting it and senior leaders rushed to his residence, while Rahul Gandhi also spoke to him.</p>.<p>He had asked for time to reconsider his decision, but the next day, the chief minister went to his residence and announced that he would join the BJP on February 22.</p>