Former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah on Monday put his resignation on hold following intervention by the party’s central leadership, even as he sought time till Tuesday morning to take a final decision after consulting his family.
The development came hours after Borah submitted his resignation to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, alleging that he was being “ignored” and not given due recognition within the state unit.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) Assam in-charge Jitendra Singh said the party high command had not accepted the resignation and had held detailed discussions with Borah.
“The party leadership has discussed the matter with Borah. Rahul Gandhi has also spoken to him for 15 minutes,” Singh told reporters outside Borah’s residence. “This is our internal matter; we discussed in detail about the issues bothering him and I thank him for agreeing to withdraw his resignation,” he added.
However, Borah struck a cautious note, stating that he had requested time from the leadership. “My old colleagues and the party's central leadership came to my house, and I respect them. I have sought time till tomorrow morning so that I can talk to my family and take a decision in this regard,” he said.
Also read: Ex-Assam Cong chief Bhupen Borah quits party
He added that the decision was no longer his alone and would require discussion with his brothers, whose business interests, he claimed, had been affected due to his association with the Congress.
Senior leaders, including Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi, MP Pradyut Bordoloi and Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, met Borah to persuade him to reconsider.
Gogoi described Borah as a “pillar of strength” for the party and apologised if he had felt hurt. “We have appealed to him from our heart to withdraw his resignation, and he has asked for time,” he said.
Borah, a two-time legislator, headed the Assam Congress from 2021 to 2025 before being replaced by Gogoi last year. His resignation had triggered political ripples ahead of the Assembly elections due in a few months.
The Congress now awaits Borah’s final decision, which could significantly influence the party’s prospects in the upcoming polls.
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