How entry of BJP turncoat into Congress led to collapse of opposition alliance in Assam?

Guwahati: Congress and 15 other Opposition parties had forged an alliance against ruling BJP in Assam months before the I.N.D.I.A. bloc came into being. 

The Congress-led alliance, now called Asom Sanmilita Morcha (ASOM), contested the Lok Sabha elections in which Congress candidates bagged three out of 14 seats. The partners endorsed Congress candidates in 13 seats while the Morcha gave the ticket for Dibrugarh constituency to Lurinjyoti Gogoi, chief of Asom Jatiya Parishad (AJP), one of the partners. But Gogoi lost the elections to Union Minister and former Assam CM, Sarbananda Sonowal.

The Morcha decided to continue the alliance with a target to unseat BJP and its allies in the Assembly elections in 2026. Then came a tussle over seat sharing for Behali, one of the five Assembly seats going for by-polls on November 13 and entry of a BJP turncoat, Jayanta Borah into Congress. A committee set up by the Morcha recommended a CPI-ML candidate, Bibek Das, for Behali but the AICC rejected it and named Borah as its candidate. Congress had earlier named its candidates for the four other seats. Even Bhupen Kumar Borah, president of Asom Pradesh Congress Committee resigned from the post of the Morcha's president as the AICC turned down his recommendation.

"As a president of the party, I have to abide by the decision taken by the AICC," Borah told reporters on Wednesday (October 22), visibly upset over AICC's decision that virtually collapsed the Morcha ahead of the by-polls.

Future of the alliance: 

The AICC's decision angered other partners of the Morcha with their top leaders publicly calling Congress a "traitor" and held the party responsible for breakdown of the Opposition alliance. "Congress has fallen into the trap of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, who planted Jayanta Borah in order to retain the Behali seat. Borah is not a big leader and we still don't understand the reasons that prompted Congress to defy the Opposition alliance for a BJP person," Lurinjyoti Gogoi said on Friday. "The CPI-ML was even ready to replace their candidate." 

BJP leader Ranjit Dutta had won the Behali seat in 2021 but the seat fell vacant as he was elected to Lok Sabha. Borah, who had lost the elections as an independent candidate in 2021, joined Congress on Thursday, hours after he was named as a candidate for Behali. Gaurav Gogoi, Jorhat MP and Congress's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, who is also in-charge for the by-polls in Behali, attended the event in which Borah joined Congress. "All these happened because of Gaurav Gogoi's conflict with Bhupen Kumar Borah. Gaurav tried to prove his clout by rejecting the CPI-ML candidate recommended by the Bhupen Borah-led committee," said Akhil Gogoi, Sivasagar MLA and leader of Raijor Dal, another partner. Akhil even suspected use of money in the selection of Jayanta. 

The Morcha, meanwhile, endorsed CPI-ML candidate Lakhi Kanta Kurmi for Behali but is yet to decide their stand regarding the remaining four seats. Morcha leader Lurinjyoti even started campaigning against Congress in Behali. Lurinjyoti on Thursday said the Morcha minus Congress would remain firm in its target to unseat BJP in 2026.   

Gaurav, however, on Friday exuded confidence over Jayanta's victory but stated that he has respect for the Morcha.            

The five seats fell vacant after the MLAs representing the constituencies were elected to the Lok Sabha. In 2021 Assembly elections, BJP and its partners AGP and UPPL had won in Behali, Dhalai, Bongaigaon and Sidli while senior Congress leader Rakibul Hussain was elected from Samaguri for the fourth time. Hussain's son, Tanzil has been fielded in Samaguri for the by-polls. 

The Election Commission on Friday evening said a total of 38 candidates filed their nominations for the five seats so far.