As Assam's political landscape heats up ahead of the upcoming bypolls, the deadlock over the Behali constituency has finally been resolved. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the nomination of Jayanta Borah as the party's candidate for the Behali bypoll.
This development follows a significant setback for the opposition alliance in Assam, marked by the resignation of Bhupen Borah, the President of the Asom Sonmilito Morcha (ASOM). Borah cited "tremendous pressure" and unresolved disputes regarding candidacy as reasons for his departure. He submitted his resignation letter to ASOM General Secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, though reports indicate that Gogoi has yet to accept it.
Borah’s decision comes at a crucial moment, just ahead of bypolls for five constituencies in Assam, increasing uncertainty within the opposition's strategy. The Behali constituency has emerged as a contentious issue among opposition parties. Initially, Congress had agreed to allocate the seat to ASOM as part of their coalition agreement. However, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi opposed this arrangement, advocating for Jayanta Borah, a former BJP member who is now expected to join Congress, to receive the party's ticket for Behali.
Simultaneously, discussions were underway regarding Bibek Das, the state secretary of the Communist Party of India Marxist-Leninist (CPI-ML), as a potential joint opposition candidate for Behali. However, Congress later withdrew its support for Das, calling for another strong contender. This last-minute change has further escalated tensions within the opposition alliance.
Caught in this political turmoil, Bhupen Borah decided to resign from his position, unable to manage the mounting pressure from various factions. In his resignation letter, he referenced a meeting on October 18 with All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary and party overseers, during which a five-member committee was formed to finalize the candidate for Behali. Despite promises that the committee's recommendations would be respected, Borah expressed frustration over the AICC's failure to approve the proposed candidate.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Lurinjyoti Gogoi emphasized the critical need for unity among the opposition to defeat the BJP in the current bypolls and the pivotal 2026 elections. He stated, “From the very beginning, we have been clear that our primary goal is 2026. Unity is non-negotiable, and this has been proven time and again. We have seen how minor vote swings—just 1-2%—have caused significant damage in other states. If we want to remove the BJP from power, we must fight unitedly against them.”
Gogoi expressed frustration over internal conflicts within the opposition, accusing certain factions of attempting to "weave a web of illusions" to disrupt the alliance. He called for urgent decisions regarding the opposition's strategy to be finalized by October 25.
During the joint opposition meeting on October 18, the five-member committee was established under Congress leaders' supervision to make essential decisions concerning the alliance. However, Gogoi revealed that the Congress leadership has dismissed the committee's report. "They should know we have our self-respect. Do not test our patience," he warned, adding that for the sake of Assam's interests, they have refrained from announcing a candidate for Behali.
Gogoi urged Congress to "carefully consider the decision" and called on the AICC for an immediate response. He also criticized "arrogant lobbyists" for holding Assam’s people "hostage," pointing to Haryana as an example of how opposition unity is vital to defeating the BJP.
In a pointed remark, Gogoi stated, “Congress has insulted us, but protecting our national interests is far more important than tolerating this insult.” He emphasized that their research and strategy for the upcoming bypolls, especially for the Behali constituency, had already been finalized, but Congress continues to delay the decision-making process.