Guwahati (Assam) [India], February 17 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday met with the former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah, fueling speculation of a high-profile political switch ahead of the state assembly elections.
The meeting comes a day after Borah submitted his resignation from Congress, raising concerns within the party just weeks before the polls. The development has added to the ongoing political uncertainty in Assam.
Earlier, before the meeting with Himanta Biswa Sarma, Borah said he would withdraw his resignation if senior leaders Pradyut Bordoloi and Debabrata Saikia convinced him that the party unit was functioning in its true spirit.
Borah said, "Right now, I am not a member of any political party... I have asked the Congress's central and state leadership to speak with our two leaders, Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi and Debabrata Saikia. They can collectively tell me on the same call to withdraw my resignation, and that it will remain APCC rather than become APCCR. The Congress I joined is no longer the APCC. It had become APCCR. Whenever the two of them call, I will withdraw my resignation right then," he said.
This follows Bhupen Kumar Borah tendering his resignation to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday.
Hours after Borah tendered the resignation, All India Congress Committee (AICC) state in-charge Jitendra Singh said the senior leader has "withdrawn" the resignation.
"Senior Congress leader Bhupen Borah is an important member of the Congress family. He had sent his resignation to our party's national president. Sometimes, differences arise within the Congress family. The Congress president has not accepted his resignation. Party leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, had a long conversation with him. We have resolved it through dialogue. I thank Bhupen Borah for withdrawing his resignation," Singh said.
Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi, who also visited Borah, praised him, calling him a "strong Congress leader" and an "asset" to the party amid ongoing internal discussions within the state unit.
Assam is scheduled to hold Assembly elections later this year, where the BJP-led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is seeking to retain power while facing a resurgent Congress. The meeting between Borah and the Chief Minister has intensified political speculation as parties prepare for the upcoming polls.
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