Bhupen Borah Seeks More Time As Congress Adamanet He Took Back Resignation

The Congress party in Assam is in damage control mode, rocked by the sudden resignation of Bhupen Borah on Monday. Amid reconciliatory talks with the veteran leader, further cracks in his relations with the party were laid bare in front of the people.

In the aftermath of the resignation bombshell on Monday, the Congress leadership in Assam addressed a press conference at Bhupen Borah’s residence, in which Jitendra Singh claimed that Borah had taken back his resignation. However, Borah’s own version seemed to be on a different track as he said that despite talks with Rahul Gandhi and the Congress high command in Delhi, he would need time to assess his options.

What Jitendra Singh Said?

The All India Congress Committee’s (AICC) general secretary in-charge of Assam, Jitendra Singh, called it an internal matter and said that everyone “talked it out like a family” and “all differences have been resolved.”

Singh also claimed that Bhupen Borah has taken back his resignation after long discussions with the Congress high command, including a 15-minute chat with Rahul Gandhi. He said, “The Congress president and AICC refused to accept Bhupen Borah’s resignation. The leadership had a long and fruitful discussion with him, including Rahul Gandhi, who had a 15-minute phone call.”

“We are a family here. Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, Congress legislative party leader Debabrata Saikia, MP Pradyut Bordoloi, senior leaders like Ripun Bora and more, AICC secretary Manoj Chauhan, we all talked like a family,” Jitendra Singh said.

Shortly before the press conference, Bhupen Borah and Jitendra Singh held a closed-door meeting in which no other person was allowed, our sources informed.

“It is an internal matter. We have held long discussions, and we resolved our differences. I have had a long personal association with a distinguished leader, Bhupen Borah. We have known each other since his youth Congress days in 2006-07. I am happy to say that he has taken back his resignation, and I thank him for that,” Singh added.

Bhupen Borah Takes Different Stance

However, Bhupen Borah stressed that he has yet to arrive at a decision and will inform the Congress leadership and the media of his final stance after consultation with his family. He also shied away from discussing BJP links amid speculation of a joining date being fixed by the ruling party in Assam.

Borah said, “In 1994, under then Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia’s direction, when Debabrata Saikia was the vice president of youth Congress, I had joined the party. Since then, it has been 32 years. The people of Assam have seen what I have done for the party. However, I saw that the party did not value my opinion and my concerns regarding many things in recent times, and that is why I decided to resign.”

Borah said that it was not a political matter anymore for him, and it had a personal undertone to it as well. He also conceded that the decision to resign might have been impulsive, as he sought to keep a foot in the door. He said, “Now I have had talks with the central and state leadership. They informed me that my resignation has not been accepted. I let them know about my position. I have two brothers, a sister, and my family, whom I did not consult with before tendering my resignation.”

“They are not only party colleagues, but also Pradyut da, Ripun da, my APCC president Gaurav Gogoi, CLP leader Debabrata da, or Jitendra ji here, whom I have had personal relations with since 2007, when we were in the youth Congress together, or Manoj Chauhan ji, who visits my home whenever he is in Lakhimpur. So, this is not only a personal decision, but a political one as well. Whatever they have proposed to me, I have asked for some time to deliberate on it and by tonight, or tomorrow morning, I will meet them personally and inform you [media] as well about my decision,” Bhupen Borah said.

He continued, “I will take my brothers with me as well, because personally, my family has faced a lot of trouble. I even informed everyone that my brother’s business was taken away from him because of my allegiance to Congress, but the APCC secretary got it. The high command did not know about it then, so now I opened up about it, and they have taken me seriously. So I will only say this much now.”

On Taking Back Resignation

“All my colleagues are at my place today, and I have always respected them. The central leadership is here, and they have given me some advice. I have just asked for some time from them. By tonight, or by tomorrow morning, I will personally meet Jitendra Singh ji and inform him about my decision. For me, it is not only a political decision, but a personal one as well. I will discuss everything with my family and then reach at a decision, and I will inform everyone from the party as well as the media,” he said.

On Reports Of Joining BJP

When asked whether he will go against his own morals and join the BJP, Borah said, “You have the right to speculate whatever you want, but I have not reached a decision yet, and once I do, I will inform everyone.”

However, he also shied away from openly discussing BJP links, mentioning that such direct talks in front of the Congress leadership are not possible. “My APCC president, the CLP leader, and AICC leaders are sitting in my home. If you ask such questions here, how can I answer?”

On his stance against the BJP, Borah said, “Where did this question come from? You ask me about the Chief Minister’s claims and whether he called me. Why don’t you ask me about Akhil Gogoi’s call, or Arvind Kejriwal ji’s call, or Lurinjyoti’s call?