'Bhupen Borah surrendered to Himanta' day after quitting Congress amid land row: Gaurav Gogoi

Fresh political tensions erupted on February 18 after Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of engineering former state Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah’s defection to the Bharatiya Janata Party, alleging the move was meant to deflect attention from questions surrounding land ownership.

Addressing a press conference, Gogoi claimed that Borah’s decision to join the BJP had confirmed long-standing suspicions within political circles. He said rumours about a “close relationship” between Sarma and Borah had circulated for some time.

“There were many rumours regarding the close relationship between Himanta Biswa Sarma and Bhupen Borah. We tried our best not to believe these rumours and speculation,” Gogoi said. He added that party members had often questioned how details of “confidential meetings came to a particular journalist close to Himanta Biswa Sarma”.

Gogoi alleged that Borah’s swift move to the BJP, a day after resigning from the Congress, raised serious concerns. “A day after resigning from Congress, Bhupen Borah had no qualms about joining the BJP and surrendering to Himanta Biswa Sarma,” he said.

Linking the defection to a broader controversy, Gogoi claimed the development reflected “desperation” on the part of the Chief Minister. “Today the entire state is wondering as to how 4,000 acres of land belong to one family,” he remarked, referring to allegations about Sarma’s purported real estate holdings.

According to Gogoi, the Congress had “successfully uncovered the real estate empire of Himanta Biswa Sarma” through its political programmes. He suggested that Borah’s entry into the BJP was intended to divert public attention from these claims.

“This will not affect the Congress party’s campaign. We will go on and continue the fight and remove Himanta Biswa Sarma from the seat of power,” he added.

The remarks came a day after Sarma announced that Borah would formally join the BJP on February 22, following his resignation from the Congress. The move is being seen as a significant shift in Assam’s political landscape ahead of the Assembly elections later this year.