'32 years vs 32 hours': Bhupen Borah draws stark contrast between his time in Congress and BJP

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma with former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah.

• Former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah joins BJP
• Borah cites Congress's alarming state, lack of support
• Assam Congress says Borah's exit won't harm the party

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Former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah, who officially joined the BJP on Sunday (February 22), pointed out that the situation in the Assam Congress is "alarming", contrasting the 32 years he gave to the Congress with the 32 hours that followed after his resignation, when Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma personally came to meet him.

Speaking to the ANI, Borah reminisced the early days of him joining the Congress. “My family’s association with the Congress is nearly 100 years old…Over 32 years, I worked for the Congress both at the national and the state level. But the present-day situation of Congress in Assam is alarming. The party drifted away from the path that the people of Assam want. Those concerned about the state can no longer be with the Congress.”

Talking about his resignation from the Congress, Borah said, “This decision was not personal. If you read my resignation letter, you will understand that I raised certain issues. I'll give an example. A Congress MLA, Sherman Ali, called all the martyrs of the Assam movement dacoits; I immediately expelled him. Another Congress spokesperson said when Congress comes to power under the leadership of Gaurav Gogoi, 45 assembly seats will be reserved for Muslims.”

Commenting on Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi's alleged Pakistan link, Borah said he had asked the party to file a defamation case against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during the panchayat elections. “I wrote to the Congress’s top leadership, suggesting to file a defamation case for the greater interest of the party, and we lost the panchayat election,” he said.

On the message behind his X post '32 years vs 32 hours – the difference is visible', the former Assam Congress chief said, “I stepped down as President nine months ago after my defeat. These nine months, Gaurav Gogoi did not visit my house even once. He came only recently for a programme near my residence, under compulsion...”

On resigning from the Congress after a conversation with senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Borah said, “There was no detailed discussion about my resignation initially. After my resignation, the Chief Minister (Himanta Biswa Sarma) came to my house without invitation and explained things to me. He shared his experience, having spent 22 years in the Congress and then 10 years in the BJP. After hearing him, I decided that it was right for me to come along with him."

“When Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Guwahati, I was asked to meet him at 8pm. He listened to me until I finished speaking. That is why I say — what I saw in 32 years and what I saw in 32 hours,” said Borah.

The Assam Congress suffered a big blow ahead of the elections after its former president switched to the ruling BJP, ending his three-decade-old ties with the party.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia said the move "will not cause any harm" to the party. Speaking to ANI, Saikia claimed that the people, from where Borah was preparing to contest, are also not with him.

Despite submitting 21 complaints, no central leader called me for a proper meeting. I attended meetings as former President and Campaign Committee Chairman but did not get a chance to present my views. I was heard only after submitting my resignation.