With the Assam Assembly elections scheduled for early April, the Indian National Congress is facing one of its toughest political phases in the state. Once the main political force in Assam, the party is now struggling with defections, internal fights and confusion over alliances.
The biggest setback came on February 22 when former Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah resigned from the party and joined the BJP. Borah led the state unit from 2021 to 2025. In his resignation letter, he openly spoke about internal conflicts and leadership problems. He directly targeted current APCC president Gaurav Gogoi. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma himself confirmed Borah’s joining during a visit to his residence.
Borah’s exit has created a leadership vacuum in the party and badly affected worker morale. His move also came just before Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s proposed visit to Assam, making it a major embarrassment for the party. Reports also suggest that some suspended MLAs have joined other parties like Raijor Dal, making the situation even more complicated.
Meanwhile, alliance talks meant to unite opposition forces against the BJP have not moved forward smoothly. Gaurav Gogoi had earlier shown support for an alliance with Raijor Dal, led by Akhil Gogoi. But talks are stuck due to disagreements over seats. Both parties are said to be claiming constituencies dominated by Miya Muslims, including Jania and Baghbar.
Chief Minister Sarma has openly mocked the opposition over this issue. He claimed that Congress and Raijor Dal are fighting over 22 such seats while the BJP is focusing on Hindu-majority areas. Sarma said both parties are now depending on the same vote bank and that their competition may split opposition votes. He even predicted that after giving seats to allies like Raijor Dal and Assam Jatiya Parishad, Congress may end up with fewer than 10 seats.
At the ground level, protests have added to the party’s problems. In Barpeta, Congress workers staged a massive protest at Rajiv Bhawan against reports that the Bhawanipur-Sorbhog seat may be given to CPI(M) as part of alliance arrangements. Protesters called it a “betrayal” and warned of mass resignations. They accused the party leadership of ignoring loyal workers and sacrificing strong seats for weak allies. Similar anger has been reported from other areas as well.
The Congress has also ruled out any alliance with the All India United Democratic Front, saying its poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections makes such a tie-up pointless. Gaurav Gogoi had made this clear in January. However, some feel this move may further weaken the party among minority voters.
Adding to the tension, the vandalism of Jawaharlal Nehru’s statue in Cachar has sparked protests from Congress leaders, who have blamed attempts to create tension ahead of elections.
On social media, discussions about Congress’ internal fights have intensified. Posts have highlighted alleged clashes between Gaurav Gogoi and Bhupen Borah during the Parivartan Yatra. Many are predicting a big BJP victory, with some claiming the party could win over 85 seats.
As things stand, Congress faces a serious crisis. Leaders are leaving, alliances remain uncertain and workers are unhappy. On the other hand, the BJP under Himanta Biswa Sarma appears confident and organised. With the election just weeks away, Congress will need quick unity and strong strategy if it wants to stay relevant in Assam politics.
