Ex-Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah to join BJP on Feb 22: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Borah on Monday created buzz in poll-bound Assam after resigning from the Congress and withdrawing the resignation hours later.

Updated on: Feb 18, 2026, 05:05:22 IST

By HT News Desk

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Former chief of the Assam unit of Congress, Bhupen Borah, will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on February 22, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarmasaid on Tuesday.

The announcement puts to rest the speculations surrounding Borah's political move after he resigned from the grand old party on Monday and rejoined hours later. The high-profile switch becomes significant ahead of Assembly elections in Assam this year. Sarma said that the Congress should have addressed issues that forced Borah to leave the party after 32 years and taken corrective measures.

Also read: PM Modi invites Bangladesh's Tarique Rahman to India, Om Birla hands over letter after oath ceremony in Dhaka

Sarma visited Borah's residence in the Ghoramara area of Guwahati, a day after the senior leader resigned from the Congress. Sarma was welcomed by Borah's wife and son with ‘aarti’, news agency PTI reported.

After the meeting, Sarma said state BJP chief Dilip Saikia would hold discussions with Borah to finalise details of his joining the party.

Also read: India's French connection via Savarkar: PM Modi spotlights Marseille escape of 1910 at Macron meet

Borah joining the BJP will show that Congress is not a place for Hindus, he said. Sarma said that Bora has struggled for a long time in the Congress, and he will get a platform in the BJP to do what he wants.

Before the meeting with Sarma, Borah had 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.

"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," Borah was quoted as saying by news agency PTI earlier in the day .

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

Assam

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.