GUWAHATI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Congress party’s future in the state looks “grim” following the resignation of former Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah, describing the move as a “symbolic message” about the party’s internal challenges.Addressing reporters, Sarma claimed Borah’s departure reflected dissatisfaction within the organisation. He remarked that Borah was “the last Hindu leader in the Assam Congress who was neither an MLA nor a minister,” and alleged that Borah had raised concerns about “appeasement politics.” Sarma said he welcomed the resignation but clarified that Borah had not contacted the BJP regarding joining.“Bhupen Borah has not reached out to us for any joining. Tomorrow evening, I will visit his house. Three years ago, we were ready to welcome him and offer a safe seat,” Sarma stated.Commenting on Congress’s condition in Assam, the chief minister said the party’s position was “terrible,” pointing to what he described as changing internal dynamics. He alleged that Congress district-level meetings often began with prayers associated with “a particular community,” adding that “people are noticing these changes.”On the possibility of new entrants into the BJP, Sarma said the party would need to undertake “careful calibration,” citing limited vacancies. He predicted further resignations from Congress in the coming weeks.He also announced that he would meet Borah soon. “I will meet Bhupen Borah tomorrow,” the CM said, without elaborating on the purpose of the meeting.“I can foresee more leaders quitting Congress, irrespective of whether they join the BJP,” Sarma said. He also suggested that several Congress MLAs could switch sides after the ongoing Rajya Sabha election process, though he added that the BJP was “not encouraging such moves at this moment.”CM Sarma further made a political prediction regarding senior Congress leader Debabrata Saikia, stating that he would join the BJP after the 2026 Assembly elections.“After the 2026 elections, Debabrata Saikia will come to the BJP. I will personally speak to his mother and bring him to the BJP,” the Chief Minister said.Bhupen Borah, a senior Congress leader with over three decades in the party, resigned earlier in the day, citing self-respect and organisational failures, triggering intense political reactions across Assam.
