In a span of two weeks, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has lost two of its three working presidents with former Jorhat MLA Rana Goswami now resigning from the party amid indications that he is going to join the BJP. In the BJP-ruled Assam, the Congress has been reeling under multiple setbacks, including desertions, since Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra passed through the state last month. On Wednesday, Goswami wrote to Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah, tendering his resignation as the APCC working president as well as a member of the Indian National Congress. Two days ago, Goswami had resigned from his position as the Congress's organisational in-charge of Upper Assam, citing “various political reasons”. Borah had then downplayed Goswami's move, telling reporters that he did not believe that the latter would leave the party. Borah also alleged that the BJP was raking up perceived rifts within the Congress “to keep the media busy instead of raising core issues that affect the people.” He said, “We (Goswami and I) have done politics together for 30 years. I spoke to him (Goswami) yesterday as well and my understanding is that he has given the Congress party around three decades and the party has given him a lot of respect.” In 2021, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) leadership had appointed three APCC working presidents – ex-AICC secretary Goswami, North Karimganj MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha and Sarukhetri MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar. On February 14 this year, Purkayastha had also resigned from his position, even as he along with Mangaldoi MLA Basanta Das declared their support to the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP government while claiming that they continued to be the Congress members. Assam's Congress Legislature Party (CLP) has now initiated the proceedings for disqualification of the two MLAs, maintaining that they have “voluntarily resigned” from the party. These successive blows to the Congress come amid mounting pressure from the BJP, which has been claiming that nearly all Congress MLAs were in touch with the ruling camp. CM Sarma himself told reporters Tuesday that by the time the 2026 state Assembly elections are held, “only a few MLAs such as Rakibul Hussain, Rekibuddin Ahmed, Jakir Hussain Sikdar and Nurul Huda” will remain with the Congress. After its move against Purkayastha and Das, the number of its MLAs against whom the CLP has sought disqualification for “anti-party activities” has risen to four. The Congress has currently 27 MLAs in the 126-member House. In the last two weeks, the APCC has also expelled its senior leader and Golaghat district party chief Dadu Taye – who was close to Kaliabor party MP Gaurav Gogoi – from the Congress after his photos felicitating CM Sarma in Golaghat made the rounds. However, the Congress continues to downplay the heat that it has been facing in the state. Earlier this week, AICC general secretary in charge of Assam Jitendra Singh Alwar accused the BJP of being allegedly “desperate to poach MLAs” as the Oppositon INDIA bloc, he claimed, “grows stronger by the day”.
