Guwahati, Feb 17 (IANS)The Congress party in Assam is likely to face a significant political and psychological setback after the departure of senior leader and former APCC president Bhupen Kumar Borah.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that this development will weaken the opposition party’s organisational strength ahead of the upcoming elections.

Sarma on Tuesday formally announced that Borah will join the Bharatiya Janata Party on February 22, describing the move as a turning point in Assam’s political landscape. ​

Addressing the media at Borah’s residence, Sarma said the departure of a leader who spent nearly three decades in the Congress and rose to become its state president reflects deep-rooted internal problems within the party.

​The Chief Minister said that he will have another round of deep political discussion with Bhupen Borah on Wednesday. Rejecting allegations that Borah had been acting as a “BJP agent,” Sarma said such claims were baseless and politically motivated.

​He stressed that a leader of Borah’s stature does not resign without serious reasons, particularly after holding key organisational responsibilities.

​The Chief Minister questioned the Congress high command’s handling of Borah’s concerns, suggesting that his grievances were ignored rather than addressed with sensitivity.

​Without naming specific individuals, Sarma alleged that certain leaders within the Congress function like “feudal lords,” disconnected from grassroots realities and unwilling to accept accountability.

​He said such an internal culture has repeatedly pushed committed leaders to the margins, ultimately forcing them to quit.

​On the broader political impact, the Chief Minister asserted that Borah’s exit would severely dent the Congress’s credibility and morale in Assam, given his influence within the party structure. While clarifying that the BJP is not driven by a “Congress-mukt” agenda, Sarma said the party is focused on providing a strong and stable political alternative for the state.

​He predicted a larger political realignment by 2031, adding that Borah’s departure would exert sustained pressure on the Congress organisation in the years ahead.

–IANS

tdr/dan