Assam, Feb 22 : Former Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday, months before the state heads into assembly elections.
The induction took place in the presence of Assam BJP chief Dilip Saikia and party MP Baijayant Panda. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier announced that Borah would enter the BJP fold on February 22 after stepping down from the Congress.
A day before the formal switch, Borah took to X to confirm his departure from the Indian National Congress, ending a 32-year association with the party. He described the move as difficult but said it was guided by conviction and a renewed resolve to serve the public.
Congress downplays impact
Leader of Opposition in Assam, Debabrata Saikia, asserted that the development would not dent the Congress’s electoral prospects. He claimed that party workers in Borah’s constituency, where he had been preparing to contest, have chosen to remain with the Congress despite his exit.
The political shift is being viewed as significant in the run-up to the state polls, with both parties intensifying preparations for the electoral battle later this year.