Guwahati, Feb 18: Former Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah, who is preparing to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has claimed that the state unit of the Congress is no longer under the leadership of Gaurav Gogoi. Borah stated on Wednesday that Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain has become the “sole base” of the party in Assam.

In an interview with PTI-Video, Borah described Gogoi, the current state Congress president, as merely “the face of the party now.” He pointed to Hussain’s resounding victory in the Dhubri Lok Sabha seat by over 10 lakh votes as the reason behind his rising influence.

Borah also revealed that after submitting his resignation to the Congress high command on Monday, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi called him for a detailed discussion. Borah said Gandhi spoke about their association since 2007 and the support he had provided over the years, but “said nothing about my resignation.”

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed that Borah will formally join the BJP on February 22, following a meeting at his residence on Tuesday evening.