Former Assam Congress President Bhupen Kumar Borah on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on his erstwhile party, saying the Indian National Congress was now "reaping what it had sown" following a crushing defeat in the Assam Assembly elections. Borah, who crossed over to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the polls, won the Bihpuria Assembly constituency on a BJP ticket.

Borah Credits Himanta Biswa Sarma for BJP's Sweep

Addressing reporters in Guwahati, Borah credited Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for the BJP's sweeping electoral success, saying the people had decisively endorsed the government's development agenda. "I must admit that under the leadership of Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam has witnessed unprecedented political success. The people have once again placed their faith in his leadership," Borah said.

The BJP leader added that the mandate in Bihpuria specifically reflected public approval of the ruling government's track record and a clear rejection of the Congress campaign narrative. "The people have proved that the BJP's organisational strength and development politics were genuine. Congress tried to shape a different narrative, but the voters rejected it," he said.

Sharp Criticism of Gaurav Gogoi's Leadership

Borah also trained his guns on incumbent Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi, alleging that the party had weakened significantly under his stewardship. He claimed Congress lost support in several of its traditional strongholds and failed to sustain the momentum it had built during the Lok Sabha elections.

"When I was Assam Congress president, the party had won the Jorhat Lok Sabha seat by a margin of over 1.5 lakh votes. But now even that support base has weakened," Borah claimed. This is a notable admission from a leader who was himself at the helm of the Congress organisation in the state not long ago.

Internal Divisions and 'Remote-Controlled Politics'

The former Congress leader went further, alleging that internal divisions and what he described as "remote-controlled politics" had severely damaged the party's standing in Assam. He suggested these fault lines, rather than any single electoral factor, were responsible for the party's sustained decline in the state.

Notably, Borah also raised a pointed observation about the composition of Congress's remaining elected legislators, suggesting the party may eventually be compelled to appoint a minority community leader as its state legislature party chief, given that its surviving MLAs were largely from minority-dominated constituencies.

BJP-Led NDA Returns with Comfortable Majority

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) returned to power in Assam with a massive mandate, securing a comfortable majority in the 126-member Assembly. The result underscores the ruling coalition's dominance in the state and marks a significant setback for the Congress, which had hoped to convert its Lok Sabha gains into Assembly-level momentum.

With Borah's defection now validated by a personal electoral win, the Congress faces the dual challenge of rebuilding its organisational base and addressing the internal credibility deficit that leaders like Borah have publicly flagged.