Gaurav 'just a face', Rakibul 'sole base' of Assam Congress: Bhupen Borah

Former Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah, who is set to join the BJP on February 22, has claimed that the party’s state unit is no longer being run by its president, Gaurav Gogoi and instead revolves around Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain.

Borah said Gogoi is now “just the mere face of the party”, suggesting that organisational control has shifted within the Assam Congress.

“Rakibul Hussain, who had won the Dhubri seat by over 10 lakh votes, is the sole base of the party,” Borah claimed, citing the scale of the MP’s victory as proof of his standing.

He also disclosed that after submitting his resignation letter to the Congress high command on Monday, he received a call from Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. According to Borah, Gandhi spoke at length about the “relationship we shared since 2007”.

“He mentioned how we helped the party grow, and he helped me over the years, which is true, but he did not say a word about my resignation letter,” Borah said.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier announced that Borah would formally join the BJP on February 22 following a meeting at his residence on Tuesday evening.

Borah’s comments add to the growing strain within the Assam Congress as it grapples with internal shifts and the exit of senior leaders.