The Assam Congress faced a major setback today after former Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Kumar Borah submitted his resignation from the party citing a ‘crisis of self-respect’ and continued neglect by the leadership. The development comes just months before the 2026 Assembly elections and has intensified the internal crisis within the party.
Borah, a two-time MLA from Bihpuria and a Congress member since 1994 served as APCC president from 2021 to 2025. During his tenure, he worked to rebuild the party’s grassroots network and led several campaigns against the BJP government despite repeated electoral defeats. However, after he was replaced by Gaurav Gogoi as APCC chief last year, Borah reportedly felt sidelined leading to growing dissatisfaction within the party ranks.
In his resignation letter addressed to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi, Borah said he had been ‘ignored’ within the state unit and expressed concern over internal indecision including disagreements during the recent Majuli yatra. Speaking to reporters outside his Guwahati residence, the 58-year-old leader said he had sent his resignation at 8 am and said that the decision was ‘not personal’ but related to the party’s future. He also said that he has not yet decided his next political move saying that he has ’32 years invested’ in the party.
Soon after the resignation, senior Congress leaders including APCC chief Gaurav Gogoi and AICC Assam in-charge Jitendra Singh visited Borah’s residence to persuade him to reconsider. Reports said Rahul Gandhi also spoke to Borah over the phone following which he agreed to keep his decision on hold for 24–48 hours after consulting his family.
The political impact was immediate. Three-time MLA from Goalpara West, Abdur Rashid Mandal formally joined the regional party Raijor Dal in Guwahati in the presence of party president and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi. Mandal said he was happy to join the party and believed that Raijor Dal, under the leadership of Akhil Gogoi would give him more space to work for the people and the region.
Welcoming the move, Akhil Gogoi called it a ‘historic day’ and said the party’s strength in the Assam Legislative Assembly had increased from one to two MLAs with Mandal’s entry. He further said that another senior Congress MLA, Sharman Ali Ahmed of Baghbor would join the party the next day taking the party’s strength to three MLAs.
Akhil Gogoi also appealed to Borah to remain in the anti-BJP camp calling him an important leader for a united opposition.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma quickly reacted to the development and said Bhupen Borah’s move sends a ‘symbolic message’ about the condition of the Congress party. Sarma said Borah was ‘the last Hindu leader in the Assam Congress whose parents were not a minister or MLA,’ and said that the party has been ignoring leaders from ordinary families while focusing on appeasement politics. He also predicted that more leaders may leave the Congress in the coming days and said the party’s future in the state looks uncertain.
Sarma also said the BJP’s doors are open for Borah if he decides to join. ‘If he wants to join, he is most welcome and we will try to give him an MLA ticket if the party agrees,’ the Chief Minister said. He added that he plans to visit Borah’s residence soon and said that the BJP had earlier been ready to offer him a safe seat as well.
With elections approaching, Borah’s resignation has highlighted deep divisions within the Assam Congress. Whether he ultimately leaves or returns, the incident has exposed the party’s internal challenges at a critical political moment while the BJP and regional parties move quickly to strengthen their positions ahead of the polls.