Former Assam Congress Chief Bhupen Borah Joins BJP Citing Appeasement and Lack of Funds

In a major blow to the Congress party ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, former state chief Bhupen Borah officially joined the BJP on February 22, 2026. Borah, who had been with the Congress for 32 years, claimed that his departure was fueled by the party’s failure to address “uncomfortable questions” regarding its internal direction. He accused the current leadership, particularly State President Gaurav Gogoi and MP Rakibul Hussain, of prioritizing “appeasement politics” and focusing solely on securing a handful of Muslim-dominated seats. Borah further alleged that the Congress is currently in such a dire financial state that it “does not have the money to fight the elections” and is resorting to collecting funds from potential candidates.

Borah’s defection follows a week of high-intensity drama during which Congress central leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, attempted to convince him to stay. However, Borah stated that the leadership’s responses were insufficient and failed to promise necessary structural corrections. Welcoming him at the BJP headquarters in Guwahati, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma—who made a similar switch years ago—expressed that Borah is now a “proud member” of the BJP family. Borah’s exit has sparked a war of words, with the former chief labeling his ex-colleagues as being out of touch, while Gaurav Gogoi had previously characterized Borah as a “pillar of strength” for the party.