In a major setback to the opposition alliance in Assam, Bhupen Borah, the President of the Asom Sonmilito Morcha (ASOM) resigned from his post. Borah cited "tremendous pressure" and unresolved disputes regarding the candidacy for the upcoming Behali by-poll as reasons for his departure.
Borah submitted his resignation letter to the General Secretary of the Asom Sonmilito Morcha, Lurinjyoti Gogoi, at 10 p.m. on Tuesday. However, reports suggest that Gogoi has not yet accepted the resignation. Bora’s decision comes at a critical juncture, just ahead of the by-polls for five constituencies in Assam, intensifying the uncertainty within the opposition’s strategy.
The Behali constituency has become a flashpoint within the opposition. Initially, the Congress had agreed to allocate the seat to the Asom Sonmilito Morcha as part of their coalition agreement. However, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi opposed this arrangement and pushed for Jayanta Bora, a former BJP member who is likely to Congress, to receive the party's ticket for Behali instead.
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’s candidacy, demanding the announcement of another strong contender. This last-minute change has led to heightened tensions within the opposition alliance.
Caught in the middle of this political turmoil, Bhupen Borah decided to step down from his position, unable to handle the mounting pressure from various factions. In his resignation letter, Borah referred to a meeting held on October 18 in the presence of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary and party overseers, where a five-member committee was formed to finalize the candidate for Behali. Despite assurances that the committee's recommendations would be accepted, Bora expressed frustration that the AICC had not approved the proposed candidate.
"I have been trying to persuade the five-member committee to reconsider its recommendation, but they have refused to do so and are demanding immediate confirmation from the AICC. Under tremendous pressure to enforce a decision, which I am unable to execute, I am left with no choice but to resign," Borah stated in his letter.
He also highlighted the importance of opposition unity, recalling Rahul Gandhi’s emphasis on the same during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Bora’s resignation letter has been forwarded to Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal and Jitendra Singh, who oversees the Assam Pradesh Congress.
Adding to the opposition’s woes, Bibek Das, the CPI-ML state secretary, has also withdrawn his candidacy for the Behali seat. Speaking to reporters, Das said, "I have sacrificed my candidacy for the sake of the people and the party. Initially, Congress and Raijor Dal of the ASOM agreed that the Behali seat should be given to CPI-ML. However, they later opposed my nomination, questioning why a candidate with a history of defeats should be fielded."
In light of Das's withdrawal, the CPI-ML has proposed alternative candidates for Behali, including Lakhi Kurmi, Prashanta Gogoi, and Parimal Garh. Despite this, the ASOM has yet to finalize and announce its candidate for the crucial by-election.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already gained momentum in Behali, with its candidate, Diganta Ghatowar, filing his nomination on Wednesday. This move puts the BJP in a favourable position, while the opposition alliance grapples with internal discord.
As the political landscape continues to shift ahead of the by-polls, questions loom over the unity and coordination of the opposition alliance, raising doubts about their ability to present a formidable challenge to the ruling BJP.
