Former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah joins BJP ahead of Assembly polls

Former Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah on Sunday formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), days after resigning from the Congress ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. Borah was inducted into the party at a function in Guwahati in the presence of Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia. Along with him, leaders including Sanju Baruah and Sarbanarayan Deori also joined the BJP.

Borah had quit the Congress on February 16, triggering efforts by senior party leaders to persuade him to reconsider his decision. His resignation reportedly followed internal differences, with Borah alleging that party MP Rakibul Hussain wielded disproportionate influence in the state unit and that the official leadership structure was ineffective. Hussain has not directly responded to the allegations.

A veteran politician, Borah had been associated with the Congress for 32 years. He served two terms as an MLA from Bihpuria between 2006 and 2016 and was president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee from 2021 to 2024. Under his leadership, the Congress secured three Lok Sabha seats in Assam in the recent parliamentary elections.

Borah began his political journey in student politics, serving in leadership roles at North Lakhimpur College and Dibrugarh University. Over the years, he rose through the ranks from the NSUI and Youth Congress to become an AICC secretary, playing an organisational role in Assam and other northeastern states. During the Tarun Gogoi government, he also served as spokesperson and parliamentary secretary.

His induction into the BJP is being seen as politically significant ahead of elections to the 126-member Assam Legislative Assembly, expected in March–April. The move marks a major shift in the state’s political landscape as parties prepare for a high-stakes contest.