Political fault-lines widened as the Bharatiya Janata Party launched an intensified offensive against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, branding him a “failed dynast” and asserting that internal dissent and a wave of high-profile departures from the Congress have eroded confidence in his leadership. The assertion by the ruling party’s spokespersons, delivered on February 16, came amid a turbulent political scene in Assam, where senior Congress figures have openly questioned the party’s direction and organisational morale. BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla took to X, framing Gandhi’s leadership as lacking both internal cohesion and external credibility. “Rahul neither has ‘janmat’ nor he has ‘sangat’… Rahul is a failed entitled dynast,” Poonawalla asserted, claiming that neither Congress colleagues nor proposed allies trust his leadership. The BJP’s remarks linked Gandhi’s perceived weakness to the publicised resignation of Bhupen Kumar Borah, former head of the Congress’s Assam unit, who cited feelings of marginalisation within the party’s state organisation.
The BJP’s critique did not end with the dynastic label. Party figures portrayed the Congress as fractured and out of touch, drawing attention to controversial remarks by veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar about political prospects in Kerala that drew internal rebukes from within the party. In parallel communications, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari amplified the message of rejection, asserting on X that even long-serving Congress loyalists were now expressing disaffection with Gandhi.
The assault on Gandhi’s leadership gains heightened significance against the backdrop of Assam’s political upheaval. Borah, who served as Pradesh Congress Committee president from 2021 until 2025, submitted his resignation to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, stating he felt “ignored” and deprived of his due in the state unit. Borah’s decision triggered brisk reactions from both national and regional party figures, reflecting wider anxiety within Congress ranks over organisational unity ahead of looming electoral battles in the northeast.
Borah’s departure was swiftly leveraged by the BJP. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma publicly welcomed the possibility of Borah joining the BJP fold, offering him a “safe seat” and asserting that the BJP’s doors were open to influential leaders seeking a new platform. Such overtures underscored the ruling party’s broader strategy of capitalising on fractures within the opposition to consolidate influence in key states.
Within Congress, leaders scrambled to contain the turmoil. Senior figures from the central leadership and state unit reportedly engaged in marathon discussions with Borah following his initial resignation. Party in-charge for Assam, Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, and other senior Congress representatives were said to have visited Borah’s residence in Guwahati, seeking to persuade him to stay. Reports suggested that Gandhi himself spoke with Borah by phone in a bid to address his concerns and retain his association with the party.
Congress sources indicated that the high command had not formally accepted Borah’s resignation, signalling a desire to project unity and soften the impact of the episode on the party’s electoral readiness. Borah’s role as chair of the Congress campaign committee in Assam and his relationships with potential alliance partners amplified concerns about the strategic costs of his exit at this juncture.
Political analysts note that the BJP’s vocal critique of Gandhi is indicative of a wider effort to frame the national opposition as disordered and leaderless. By tying individual departures and internal disagreements to questions about Gandhi’s leadership credentials, the BJP seeks to shape the broader narrative ahead of multiple state elections that are projected to influence national political dynamics.
Congress leaders, for their part, have sought to downplay the dimensions of dissent, emphasising internal mechanisms for dialogue and resolution. Party insiders point out that while differences of opinion are part of political life, effective communication and reaffirmation of collective strategy are vital to prevent factionalism from blunting campaign momentum.