The buzz in Assam: Are more Congress leaders contemplating crossover?

No specific names have been given, but many Congress leaders are expected to follow Bhupen Kumar Borah when the former Assam state Congress president joins the BJP on February 22. While Borah jumped ship, suspended Congress MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed, too, joined the Raijor Dal, becoming the second legislator from Assam’s main opposition party to switch sides in a succession. Buzz also is that some other Congress and AIUDF legislators are also preparing to shift base, including to NDA ally Asom Gana Parishad.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma indicated that Borah’s move could inspire “many Congress members” from areas like Lakhimpur to follow. It may put Congress in a bigger spot. Meanwhile, the Raijor Dal, led by Akhil Gogoi, is said to be gaining better traction in the highly-polarised landscape of Assam. Amid reports of “disillusionment, especially among Hindu and grassroots leaders”, Borah’s switch to the BJP is being seen as a significant blow to the Congress ahead of Assam’s 2026 Assembly elections.

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Borah, a two-time MLA and former state president, was seen as the last major Hindu leader without family ties. His shift marks a departure from the legacy of the late Tarun Gogoi—the former Chief Minister. Borah justified his defection, claiming that the party has moved away from the inclusive, mainstream Assamese values Tarun Gogoi supported.

Borah directed his grievances specifically at Gaurav, citing “constant humiliation” and a lack of leadership. Though, according to Gaurav Gogoi, Congress is an “ocean” unaffected by individuals, observers say in politics crossovers matter significantly as they can shift the balance of power by reshaping voters’ perception.

High-profile crossovers and defections have also led to the collapse of governments—examples being Karnataka (2019), Madhya Pradesh (2020), and Maharashtra (2022)—resulting in a change of the ruling party.

“Those who joined the BJP in the past 10 years helped it considerably, weakening the Congress. A crossover by a senior leader like Bhupen Borah can be used as a signal that his original party is sinking or lost its ideological moorings,” they add

Then there are tangible political benefits.

Himanta Biswa Sarma left the Congress to become the Chief Minister of Assam as a BJP leader. The move also marked one of the most significant shifts in Northeast politics towards right-wing Hindu nationalism, focusing on illegal immigration. Sarma now says that had he become a Congress CM, history would have remembered him with disgrace as he would not have been able to work for Sanatan Dharma or the Assamese people. “I thank Rahul Gandhi for not making me a CM then.”