Those who joined BJP became insignificant: Assam Cong chief on Bhupen Borah's plan to switch sides

Guwahati, Feb 18 (PTI) Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday said those who joined the ruling BJP have become "insignificant" in their political journey.

Addressing a press conference here, Gogoi said former state Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah, who is likely to switch over to the BJP on February 22, will also meet the same fate.

The deputy leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha also challenged Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to a "face-to-face" debate on Hinduism to find out who is well-versed with the actual ethos of the religion.

"Those who joined the BJP have become insignificant. We can see the example of Sarbananda Sonowal and many others. The AGP (Sonowal's previous party) is on the verge of extinction. I don't think I need to talk specifically about Bhupen Borah's joining," he said.

Gogoi said that everyone knows what Borah is going to get in the BJP as he is not a bigger leader than Union minister Sonowal.

"Once Borah had sworn in the name of Kamakhya Temple and Bardowa Than that he would never join BJP in his lifetime. Now, he could not even wait a single day and decided to join BJP immediately after resigning from the Congress. What is the trustworthiness of Borah's words?" he asked.

"The main reason Sarma is doing this (wooing Borah into BJP) is to overshadow our campaign on 12,000 bighas of land grab. Today, everyone in Assam knows whose family occupied the 12,000 bighas of land across the state," he added.

On February 4, Gogoi and other Congress leaders had alleged that Sarma's family grabbed around 12,000 bighas (over 3,960 acres) of land across the state, prompting the BJP leader to file a Rs 500-crore defamation case.

The Assam Assembly elections for 126 constituencies are likely to take place in March-April this year.

"They (BJP) call me 'Dhurandhar'. But in reality, Bhupen Borah is the 'Dhurandhar'," the Assam Congress chief said.

Gogoi said the fight in the upcoming assembly elections will be between the "real Congress and fake Congress".

"The BJP is full of old Congress leaders who were the most corrupt during our 15-year rule in the state. The contest will be between the old Congress and the new Congress," he said.

Speaking about the chief minister terming Borah as the "last Hindu leader" in the Congress, Gogoi alleged that Sarma is "Assam's Jinnah" and he should stop giving "Hindu certificates" to the politicians.

"I want to challenge Himanta Biswa Sarma to an open debate on Hinduism. Let us see who knows better and has more details about the Hindu religion. Let's see if he dares to accept my challenge. But I know that he will never accept it," the Congress leader said.

Gogoi questioned Sarma's loyalty to the Hindu religion by referring to the alleged cow syndicate in the state.

"The person who encourages and allows a cow syndicate cannot be a true Hindu. He (Sarma) is Assam's Jinnah, and he has no right to give Hindu certificates to others," Gogoi alleged.

He said that both Sarma and Borah have been exposed with the latest developments, and this will not impact the Congress at all.

In a setback to the Congress ahead of the Assam assembly polls, the CM on Tuesday night announced that Borah would join the BJP on February 22. Sarma visited Borah's residence in Guwahati, a day after the senior Congress leader resigned from the party.

"The Congress is like an ocean; we are all just water drops in it. The Congress was there long before our fathers and forefathers existed. Bhupen Borah's leaving will not impact our party's prospects in the assembly polls," Gogoi said.

He also pointed out that Sarma had last week accused Borah of indecent gestures towards women and registered a police case against him, asking what would happen to the case now.

"The CM publicly slammed Borah over the case. His police registered a case against senior Congress leaders Debabrata Saikia and Mira Borthakur, along with Borah. Police even interrogated them. And now suddenly Borah has become a big Hindu leader!" Gogoi said.

Asked about the Congress-led opposition alliance, he said that it is definitely going to take place and the party is poised well ahead of the ruling BJP in this aspect.

"You can see the condition of BJP's alliance partners. The AGP has almost vanished. I believe this is going to be AGP's last election. After this, the party will be finished.

"On the other hand, our alliance partners always prosper. They get oxygen from the alliance," Gogoi said.

Along with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), he also cited examples of other ruling alliance members like United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF). PTI TR BDC TR ACD