Assam: Borah to announce his final decision on resignation from Congress by Tuesday night
Guwahati (PTI): Former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah, who has tendered his resignation from the party, said he would announce by Tuesday night his final decision on whether or not he would withdraw it, as asked by the central leadership.
Speaking to reporters this morning, Borah said there are many issues he would like to discuss with his well-wishers, close associates and people of Lakhimpur district, from where he hails, before taking a final decision.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had on Monday said the doors of the BJP were open for Borah and promised to "get him elected from a safe assembly seat" if he joined the saffron party, is likely to visit his residence in the evening.
Borah launched an attack on a section of the Congress leaders without taking their names, saying he was prepared to stay in the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) but not in "APCC (R)", in an apparent reference to the party's Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain.
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"I have also made this clear in my resignation letter to the high command," he added.
Hussain, however, did not react to this but said that Borah may have certain grievances but senior party leaders are talking to him and the matter will be resolved soon.
Borah alleged that his name was suggested by several senior leaders as the party candidate for the by-election to the Samaguri assembly constituency, but he was denied the ticket.
By-elections to Samaguri assembly constituency, which was held by Hussain, was necessitated following his election from the Dhubri Lok Sabha seat; and the party ticket was given to his son Tanzil Hussain, who lost the polls to BJP's Diplu Ranjan Sarmah.
"In the 2021 assembly polls, several prominent Congress leaders had opposed the alliance with the AIUDF and I had written several times to the party high command regarding this. After the elections, the alliance was withdrawn and in the last Lok Sabha polls and Hussain was the biggest beneficiary, winning the seat by a record margin by defeating AIUDF leader Badruddin Ajmal," Borah claimed.
He claimed that the Assam Congress was now divided into two camps -- APCC and APCC(R) -- and "many leaders want to remain in the Congress but not in APCC (R)".
Borah, in a late night interaction with reporters on Monday, said he submitted his resignation after 32 years in the party and needs time to reconsider his decision.
"The resignation letter has been sent, but the central leadership has said it will not accept it," Borah said, adding, "I cannot give directions to the central leadership, but I have asked for time to think about it''.
"Many senior leaders and colleagues have asked me to consider all aspects, but nobody has said that I did anything wrong by sending the resignation letter," he said.
Responding to the CM's statement that he would visit Borah's residence, he said, "If any CM wants to visit my home, it is a matter of pride for me."
Borah also drew a parallel with Sarma's own political journey.
"Even Sarma was forced to leave the Congress as he was not made the CM despite having the support of 58 MLAs. Is this internal democracy? How long will this kind of politics continue? Somebody has to raise their voice, and I have done so," he said.
Borah resigned on Monday, triggering a political storm in the state, where assembly elections are due in a couple of months, with AICC state in-charge Jitendra Singh claiming that Borah has withdrawn his resignation after party president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi spoke to him, but the Congress leader asserted that he has sought time from the high command to reconsider his decision.
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'Grew up in a family where women were bosses': Rahul tells students
New Delhi (PTI): "I grew up in a family where the women were the bosses," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi told students during an interaction in Kerala recently, while asserting that women are generally more intelligent than men.
On International Women's Day, Gandhi posted a video of his interaction with the students on his YouTube channel on Sunday and said that a few days ago, he met some young women students in Kerala during a lunch interaction and had a very interesting conversation with them.
"I was deeply impressed by each student's dreams, curiosity, and confidence. Such conversations remind us that when women recognise their potential and move forward with an open mind, they can bring about extraordinary change," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.
"Every woman is unique. Their sensitivity, understanding, and emotional intelligence provide balance and direction to society. Women also wield power in their own unique ways - with patience, long-term vision, and empathy," Gandhi asserted in his post in Hindi, accompanying the video.
"Therefore, they should have every right to move forward according to their identity, personality, and aspirations, rather than being bound by society's restrictive norms," he said.
"Heartiest greetings to all women on International Women's Day. May your strength, courage, and dreams continue to propel society toward a positive future," Gandhi said.
Posting the video on X, Gandhi said interacting with some young students in Kerala was incredibly inspiring.
"Their confidence and belief in their dreams demonstrate that women are the ultimate force for change," he said.
In the video, Gandhi is seen having a free-wheeling chat with the women students.
"I grew up in a family where the women were the bosses. So the boss of my family was my grandmother and I have always in my family, like on this table, been outnumbered by women," Gandhi tells the students.
"Women are generally more intelligent than men for the most part. Men are in a hurry and men get blinded by silly things.Women think longer term, they don't apply direct power they apply indirect power, it is more effective," he says.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge shared on X a quote by BR Ambedkar on gender equality - "You are not born to suffer. You are born to rise"
"Women are not merely participants in development. They are its driving force. Through their wisdom, resilience, compassion, and determination, women strengthen communities, and build stronger nations," Kharge said on X.
"On International Women's Day 2026, we celebrate the courage, leadership, and countless contributions of women everywhere. True progress will come when equality is not an aspiration, but a lived reality for every woman," the Congress chief said.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also greeted women on International Women's Day.
"On this Women's Day, may every woman realise her strength, her rights and her power to shape the future. You matter. Your voice matters. Your dreams matter," she said on X.
केरल में कुछ युवा छात्राओं के साथ हुई बातचीत बेहद प्रेरणादायक रही।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 8, 2026
उनका आत्मविश्वास और सपनों पर विश्वास बताता है - महिलाएँ बदलाव की सबसे बड़ी शक्ति हैं।
सभी को #InternationalWomensDay की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएँ। pic.twitter.com/OV2fvth1rB
