Congress has suffered a significant setback in Assam after its former state president Bhupen Kumar Borah resigned from the party, weeks before preparations intensify for the next Assembly election, according to party sources familiar with the development.Borah is understood to have submitted his resignation to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, triggering fresh uncertainty within the state unit at a time when the party has been seeking to consolidate its organisation and counter the Bharatiya Janata Party’s entrenched position in the north-eastern state.
The departure of Borah, who served as president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee from 2021 until his replacement in 2023, comes amid lingering factional tensions and strategic recalibration within the state leadership. Though the party has not issued a detailed public statement outlining the reasons for his decision, insiders indicated that differences over organisational direction and candidate selection played a role.
Borah, a former Rajya Sabha member and a long-time Congress leader in Assam, had taken over the state unit in the aftermath of the 2021 Assembly election, when Congress fell short of dislodging the BJP-led alliance headed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Under his leadership, the party sought to revive grassroots structures and strengthen alliances with regional partners, including the All India United Democratic Front and left parties, as part of a broader anti-BJP front.
Political observers note that his tenure coincided with a challenging phase for Congress in the region. The BJP, which first came to power in Assam in 2016, retained office in 2021 with a comfortable majority, reinforcing its dominance in a state that was once considered a Congress stronghold. Congress has since been attempting to reposition itself by highlighting issues such as unemployment, price rise, land rights and concerns over the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Borah’s exit is being viewed by some analysts as symptomatic of deeper strains within the party’s state apparatus. Congress has grappled with internal divisions in several states as it prepares for a series of electoral contests leading up to the 2026 Assam Assembly election. The leadership in New Delhi has been working to streamline candidate selection processes and strengthen coordination between the state and central leadership.
Within Assam, Congress has already undergone changes in leadership over the past year. The transition in the state presidency was aimed at injecting fresh momentum into the organisation. However, Borah remained an influential figure in certain districts, particularly in Upper Assam, where he has built a personal political base over decades.
Reactions within the party have been measured. Senior leaders have indicated that efforts are under way to engage with Borah and prevent further erosion of the party’s cadre. At the same time, some local functionaries have expressed concern that the resignation could demoralise workers at a critical juncture.
The BJP, for its part, has sought to portray the development as evidence of Congress’s organisational fragility. Leaders of the ruling party in Assam argue that Congress has struggled to present a cohesive alternative vision for the state’s development, citing ongoing infrastructure projects, welfare schemes and industrial investments under the current administration.
Assam’s political landscape has shifted markedly over the past decade. The BJP’s rise was aided by the defection of several senior Congress leaders, including Himanta Biswa Sarma himself, who left Congress in 2015 and went on to become a central figure in the BJP’s expansion in the north-east. Congress has since faced the challenge of rebuilding both its leadership bench and voter base.
The resignation also comes at a time when Congress nationally has been attempting to project unity and organisational discipline under Kharge’s presidency. The party’s central leadership has emphasised the importance of state units aligning with a broader strategy aimed at consolidating opposition space against the BJP across regions.
Assam remains politically significant for Congress, not only because of its historical roots in the state but also due to its strategic position in the north-east. The party governed Assam for much of the period between 2001 and 2016 under former chief minister Tarun Gogoi. The shift in voter sentiment since then has been attributed to a combination of identity politics, development narratives and organisational changes.
For Congress workers in Assam, the immediate priority is to contain potential fallout and maintain focus on constituency-level mobilisation. Party insiders suggest that discussions are ongoing to ensure that the state unit presents a united front as preparatory activities for the Assembly polls gather pace.