Former Assam Congress chief Ripun Bora has made a notable return to the Congress party, rejoining the fold on Sunday after resigning from his position as the state Trinamool Congress (TMC) president.
Bora’s reintegration into Congress was formally welcomed by AICC General Secretary Jitendra Singh during the Extended Executive Committee meeting held at Charaideo.
“The people of Assam are fed up with the misrule of the BJP government. We will all work together to strengthen Congress and expose the ruling alliance's corruption and communalism,” Bora declared.
Accompanying Bora in his return were several senior TMC functionaries who also joined Congress. The event was marked by the presence of prominent Congress leaders including state Congress President Bhupen Kumar Borah, Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, and others.
Bora, a former state cabinet minister and ex-MP, had originally left Congress in April 2022 to join TMC. His resignation from TMC came on September 1, 2024, citing the perception of TMC as a "regional party" of West Bengal, which he claimed was not well-received in Assam.
In his remarks to the media, Bora described his return to Congress as a “homecoming,” expressing satisfaction at rejoining his former party.
“Whatever the reason was for my departure, I am really glad to be back in Congress,” he said.
Bora's departure from Congress in 2021 followed a poor performance by the party in the state assembly elections. He joined TMC in April 2022, but his recent resignation and return to Congress are viewed as a significant boost for the party in Assam, especially in the lead-up to the 2026 Assembly elections.
Bora's assertion that no other opposition party has the capability to effectively challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state underscores the strategic importance of his return to Congress as the party seeks to strengthen its position in Assam.
