New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday invited former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Bora to join the BJP, hours after Bora submitted his resignation from the party, triggering political turmoil in the poll-bound state.Sarma said BJP’s doors were open for Bora and promised to help him get elected from a “safe seat” if he joined. He also announced that he would visit Bora’s residence to discuss his future plans.“If he wants to join the BJP, we will welcome him, but even if he does not want to do so, we wish him all the best,” Sarma told reporters.Sarma described Bora as the “last Hindu leader” to hold ministerial or legislative positions in the Congress without any family background and said his resignation sent a larger message about internal democracy in the party.He said, “His resignation sends a symbolic message that no person from an ordinary family can prosper in the Congress. Congress does not recognize people from an ordinary family, but I am from an ordinary middle class family and the BJP has made me the chief minister. We are opposites of blue blood politics.”Comparing his own political journey, Sarma said, “Even Sarma was forced to leave the party because he was not made the CM despite the support of 58 MLAs. Is this internal democracy? How long will this kind of politics continue? Someone has to raise his voice and I have done that.”In Guwahati, senior Congress leaders said Bora had reconsidered his decision after the intervention of the party high command.AICC Assam in-charge Jitendra Singh said party president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi have spoken to Bora.“The party leadership has discussed the matter with Bora. Rahul Gandhi also spoke to him for 15 minutes,” Singh told reporters outside Bora’s residence.He said, “This is our internal matter; we discussed in detail the issues troubling him and I thank him for agreeing to withdraw his resignation.”However, Bora clarified that he had only asked for time to reconsider.He said, “My old colleagues and the central leadership of the party came to my house and I respect them. I have asked for time till tomorrow morning so that I can talk to my family and take a decision in this regard.”In a late night conversation, Bora confirmed that he has sent his resignation after 32 years in the party.“The resignation letter has been sent, but the central leadership has said it will not accept it,” Bora said. “I cannot give instructions to the central leadership, but I have asked for time to think over it and will inform them by tomorrow,” he said.He said he is consulting senior leaders and well-wishers before taking the final decision.“Many senior leaders and colleagues have asked me to consider all aspects, but no one has said that I have done anything wrong by sending my resignation letter,” he said.Responding to Sarma’s statement about visiting his residence, Bora said, “If a CM wants to come to my house, it is a matter of pride for me.”Bora, who served as Assam Congress president from 2021 to 2025 and was replaced by Gaurav Gogoi last year, is a two-time MLA.After sending his resignation letter to Kharge, senior Congress leaders including Gogoi, MP Pradyut Bordoloi, Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia and other MLAs met Bora, alleging that he was being “ignored” by the party leadership and was not being given his due in the state unit.Gogoi described Bora as a “pillar of strength” for the party.“If he has been hurt due to some issues in the party, I apologize to him as a younger brother,” he said.Joint Opposition Forum, Assam also appealed to Bora to stop. Its spokesperson and Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi said the platform would not allow him to change sides.Gogoi said, “Nobody in the joint opposition will let him join the BJP, even if PM Narendra Modi or Home Minister Amit Shah comes. He was, is and will be with us. Who will let him go… We will carry him with us everywhere.”He alleged that the Chief Minister was trying to create confusion by suggesting Bora to join the BJP, but said, “That will not happen…we Will not let this happen.”With Bora seeking time till Tuesday morning to take a final decision, his political future remains uncertain even as the BJP has increased its reach and the Congress leadership is attempting to stall the results ahead of the assembly elections.
