Gaurav & Bhupen’s war of words exposes Assam Cong’s cracks

Guwahati: Assam PCC president Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday said Congress leaders who defected to BJP have slipped into political irrelevance and Bhupen Borah would meet the same fate, insisting that Congress remains unshaken after his exit.

Borah, the former state PCC chief who quit the party on Monday, hit back with sharp allegations against his former colleagues — exposing widening fault lines in Congress just days before his scheduled entry into BJP on Feb 22.




“Those who joined BJP have become insignificant. We can see the example of Sarbananda Sonowal and many more. AGP is on the verge of extinction. I don’t think I need to talk specifically about Bhupen Borah’s joining BJP,” Gaurav said.

“The BJP is full of old Congress leaders. Basically, we will be fighting among ourselves in the election,” Gaurav said, adding that the upcoming polls would be a contest between the “real Congress and old Congress.”

Borah, responding within hours, dismissed Gaurav’s criticism and questioned the Jorhat MP’s political standing. “Who is Gaurav Gogoi to demand an apology from me?” he asked, asserting he owed no explanation.

With Borah set to join BJP, the war of words has reinforced perceptions of a party adrift, offering the ruling camp fresh ammunition to argue that the opposition is imploding from within.

Political observers say the confrontation between Gogoi and Borah has laid bare the deepening crisis in Assam Congress, where defections, leadership turmoil and ideological confusion are converging at a critical moment ahead ofpolls.

Reacting to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s description of Borah as the “last Hindu leader” in Congress, Gaurav also alleged, “Sarma should stop giving Hindu certificates to politicians.” He challenged Sarma to a “face-to-face debate on Hinduism” to test who truly understands the ethos of the religion.

Despite Borah’s exit, Gaurav insisted Congress remains unshaken. “Congress is like an ocean; we are all just water drops in it. Congress was there long before our fathers and forefathers existed. Bhupen Borah’s leaving will not impact our party’s prospects in the assembly polls,” he said.