Guwahati: The ongoing attempt to present an united front of opposition against ruling BJP led alliance for byelections on five assembly seats in Assam received a major setback with resignation of Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah as convenor of the 16-member Opposition front called the Assam Sonmilito Morcha.
The resignation on Wednesday followed Congress’s announcement of former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jayanta Borah as its candidate for the Behali seat on Thursday. A five-member panel of the united front had recommended four seats for the Congress and Behali for the CPI (ML).
The Assam Congress chief cited the recommendation and said that he tried his best to give the Behali seat to CPI(M) but Congress central leadership felt that they should put a candidate. He added they needed to give and take to oust the ruling BJP from power.
The Congress’s move to field Jayanta Borah prompted the opposition alliance parties to decide to contest the Behali seat separately.
Assam Jatiya Parishad chief and general secretary of opposition alliance Lurinjyoti Gogoi called for unity among opposition parties to defeat the BJP. “Congress should realise that even 1 or 2 percent votes matter in an election,” he said, adding that it may jeopardise their attempt to present a united front against BJP.
The insiders in the Congress party claimed that a section within Congress including the state chief was in favour of giving the Behali seat to CPI(ML). But Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi backed the candidature of Jayanat Borah, who will join Congress on Thursday, sources said.
Mr Borah said that he may have a different opinion but the central leadership takes the final call in a national party like Congress. “I did my best to maintain unity in the opposition bloc.” He said he still hopes all opposition parties will contest the 2026 assembly polls together.
The Assam Sonmilito Morcha which came into existence before the Lok Sabhan elections comprises parties opposed to the BJP, including state units of national parties as well as regional outfits.
In the meantime, the BJP candidate from Behali, Diganta Ghatowar, filed his nomination papers on Wednesday. The BJP’s Ranjit Dutta had won from Behali in the 2021 Assembly elections, retaining the seat with a 50.93% vote share. Independent candidate Jayanta Bora had come second while Das had come third.
