Guwahati (Assam) [India], March 18 : Following the resignation of MP Pradyut Bordoloi, Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday called Bordoloi's decision to leave the party an "unfortunate decision" and said that the 2026 assembly election is about "freeing Assam from the clutches of Himanta Biswa Sarma".
He said that the Congress offered an opportunity to his family member to contest the Vidhan Sabha elections, but he made a decision that is his personal decision.
Speaking to reporters in the national capital, Gogoi said, "It is an unfortunate decision. Just two years ago, the Congress Party offered him the opportunity to contest the Lok Sabha ticket from Nagaon. He's a sitting member of parliament, the people of Nagaon voted for him, and in this present election, the Congress Party offered an opportunity to a member of his family to contest the Vidhan Sabha elections. So the family at the same time got the opportunity to represent the Lok Sabha and has got the opportunity to represent the Vidhan Sabha. Despite that, he made a decision which is his personal decision."
He added that this assembly election is about "freeing Assam from the clutches of Himanta Biswa Sarma."
"This election is much more important than one person. This election is about freeing Assam from the clutches of Himanta Biswa Sarma. Freeing Assam from Himanta Biswa Sarma's politics of fear and intimidation. Freeing Assam from the Mafiaraj that has crept during Himanta Biswa Sarma's tenure. So, people of Assam want to see an Assam without Himanta Biswa Sarma as the Chief Minister. We have got tremendous support. We are confident of forming the government," he added.
On Bordoloi's resignation, Gogoi said he doesn't think that a difference of opinion over one seat is a reason to leave a party.
"There are always differences inside a party. We have all faced differences and had strong opinions. I don't think that a difference of opinion over one seat is the reason to leave a party and join the rival. Just two days ago, I was in the Lakhimpur district, which is the district in which Bhupen Bora is currently seeking a ticket from the BJP," he added.
Gogoi said he witnessed a "tremendous growth in the popularity of the Congress party" in organisational strength.
"I have witnessed a tremendous growth in the popularity of the Congress party, in the organisational strength of the Congress party, and the reason is that the Congress party is aligned to the ideas and wishes of the people of Assam. Congress party will form the next government," Gogoi added.
Earlier today, MP Pradyut Bordoloi joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Assam BJP President Dilip Saikia.
After officially joining the BJP ranks today, Bordoloi said his decision to resign from Congress was driven by "persistent internal humiliation" and a lack of support from the party leadership.
Referring to a specific Assam Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting, Pradyut Bordoloi said he felt hurt after Imran Masood dismissed his allegations against a candidate whom he accused of running a criminal nexus, as "fabricated". Masood, who represents Saharanpur in the Lok Sabha, is a part of Congress's screening committee for the upcoming Assam elections.
Bordoloi told ANI, "There is no one reason. I was feeling suffocated, and I was being humiliated".
"I came to know that a communal leader like Imraan Masood said that everything I was talking about and saying about a candidate against whom I had given evidence of a criminal nexus was false and fabricated. Imran Masood, in the presence of the party's top leadership, had the audacity to say that all that Pradyut Bordoloi said was fabricated. The APCC president present there remained silent. This hurt me a lot," said Bordoloi.
Bordoloi's resignation comes a month after former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah joined the BJP, who served in the Congress for three decades.
Elections in Assam for all 126 Assembly constituencies will be held in a single phase on April 9, while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, the Election Commission of India announced on Sunday.
Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the 126-seat assembly. The BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will look to secure a third consecutive term, while the Congress aims to defeat the ruling party to return to power.