In a dramatic political twist ahead of the Assam elections, former Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah withdrew his resignation from the Indian National Congress within hours of submitting it to party president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday, triggering intense speculation within political circles.
According to party sources, Borah had earlier sent a resignation letter to the Congress high command expressing dissatisfaction over being sidelined within the state unit and not receiving what he considered his due role. The sudden development sent ripples through Assam’s political landscape, prompting swift intervention by senior Congress leaders.
Soon after reports of his resignation surfaced, prominent Congress figures including Gaurav Gogoi, Bhanwar Jitendra Singh and Pradyut Bordoloi, along with Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi, visited Borah’s residence in Guwahati to persuade him to reconsider his decision. Following these discussions, Borah chose to retract his resignation, averting an immediate crisis for the party.
The brief but high-voltage episode also drew reactions from across the political spectrum. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described Borah as the “last Hindu face” within the state Congress and remarked that he intended to visit him soon. Sarma further claimed that the Congress in Assam was facing a difficult phase and suggested that several leaders and legislators might shift allegiance in the coming weeks.
Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, Borah confirmed that he had emailed his resignation to the party leadership in the morning, outlining his concerns in detail. He maintained that his decision was not directed against any individual and carried no personal motive. He stated that he would share further details publicly at an appropriate time and emphasised that he does not take decisions in secrecy.
“I have served the Congress for 32 years and remain concerned about its future. I have conveyed my reasons in detail to the party leadership through my resignation letter,” Borah said, adding that he would elaborate on the matter in due course.
Borah, who served as Assam Congress president from 2021 to 2025 before being succeeded by Gaurav Gogoi, has long been credited with rebuilding the party’s grassroots structure following consecutive electoral defeats. His brief resignation and swift reversal have now intensified internal and external speculation about the party’s cohesion and strategy in the run-up to the state elections, placing the spotlight firmly back on Assam’s evolving political dynamics.
