“Why not mention in resignation?” Rakibul Hussain questions Bhupen Borah’s APCC(R) charge

Congress MP Rakibul Hussain mounted a sharp rebuttal to former state party chief Bhupen Borah, dismissing his recent remarks on the alleged existence of “APCC(R)” within the party.

Reacting to Borah’s statements following his exit from the Congress, Hussain questioned the credibility and timing of the allegations. Referring to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s earlier observation that the term “APCC(R)” had been raised by Borah himself, Hussain said the charge lacked substance.

“If there is an APCC(R) in the Congress, why did Bhupen Borah not mention anything against me in his resignation letter?” Hussain asked, casting doubt over the seriousness of Borah’s claims.

Taking a further swipe at the former state Congress president’s switch to the Bharatiya Janata Party, Hussain said Borah’s move had failed to generate the momentum he had anticipated. “Bhupen Borah could not even take 32 people along with him while joining the BJP,” he remarked, in an apparent attempt to underscore the limited impact of Borah’s departure.

The exchange marks the latest escalation in the war of words between leaders of the Indian National Congress in Assam, with factional tensions spilling into the public domain. Borah had earlier alleged that the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee had effectively turned into “APCC(R)”, a remark that has since drawn strong counterattacks from party colleagues.