Overview
- On February 22, former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah was inducted into the BJP at Vajpayee Bhawan in Guwahati in the presence of state president Dilip Saikia and MP Baijayant Panda.
- Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the BJP has nearly finalized candidates for about 80 seats and indicated Borah will get a ticket, with his name under consideration for Bihpuria and Ranganadi.
- Several Congress leaders and more than a dozen workers also switched to the BJP alongside Borah, and Sarma said further crossovers will unfold on a pre-decided schedule.
- Congress leaders, including Debabrata Saikia and Gaurav Gogoi, downplayed the move’s impact and pointed out that most local workers in Borah’s base chose to remain with the party.
- Borah cited humiliation and marginalisation under Congress leaders, naming Rakibul Hussain and questioning Gaurav Gogoi’s role, and he has been named to the BJP’s Assam state executive.