Bordoloi exit : Has Congress lost the plot in Assam?

In this Capital Beat episode, panellists Debojit Goswami, Happy Gogoi, and Samir K Purkayastha discussed the political fallout following the resignation of Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi ahead of the Assam assembly elections. The discussion focused on the timing of the exit, internal party challenges, and the broader implications for the Congress in the state.

The resignation triggered strong political reactions, with the Congress describing it as “unfortunate” while the BJP framed it as a reflection of growing public support for its leadership.

Priyanka Gandhi stated, “I think he was upset over ticket allocation and I wish we had a chance to have a conversation. It is unfortunate.”

Congress MP Imran Masood also reacted, stating, “It is unfortunate that he had won from a seat having a 65 per cent Muslim population… compromising with the ideology, it's not the right thing to do. We will try to persuade him.”

Reports of dissatisfaction in Congress

BJP leaders attributed his resignation to their expanding influence. A BJP MP stated, “People's faith has increased towards the BJP's policies and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Congress is now turning into a regional party.”

Pradyut Bordoloi, a two-time MP from Nagaon and a former four-time MLA, submitted a one-line resignation letter stating, “With an overwhelming sense of sadness today, I hereby tender my resignation from all posts, privileges, and the primary membership of the Indian National Congress.”

Also Read: Assam MP Pradyut Bordoloi joins BJP after quitting Congress ahead of Assembly polls

His exit comes weeks before the elections and follows reports of dissatisfaction among party members, particularly regarding leadership and ticket distribution.

'Opportunistic'

Happy Gogoi defended the party’s position and questioned Bordoloi’s decision.

“What has the Congress not given him? He was a four-time MLA… a cabinet minister… and now a second-time MP,” he said.

He described the move as opportunistic, stating, “The rise of an opportunist leader like him prioritising personal gain over public welfare… is definitely a misfortune.”

Also Read: Assam polls: 5 key issues set to headline campaign rhetoric

Gogoi also rejected allegations against the state leadership, adding, “Gaurav Gogoi ji has tried his best to project the youngsters… most of the candidates are very young and dynamic.”

He further claimed the resignation was pre-planned, saying, “We knew in the back of our minds that something was going wrong.”

Communication breakdown

The discussion raised concerns about leadership effectiveness at both state and central levels. The timing of Priyanka Gandhi’s remarks led to questions about delayed intervention and lack of internal dialogue.

Happy Gogoi maintained that Bordoloi had access to leadership channels. “He definitely had all the rights and access to go and talk to the senior leaders,” he said.

He also pointed to internal efforts, stating, “Gaurav Gogoi ji has gone, he has apologised in front of the entire Assam media… still he didn’t listen because he had made up his mind.”

The issue of communication breakdown within the party emerged as a recurring theme during the discussion.

Structural challenges

Debojit Goswami highlighted long-term structural challenges within the Congress in Assam.

“The last 10 years, they were nowhere in the opposition also. So this makes the party even weaker,” he stated.

He emphasised the disconnect between the leadership and grassroots workers.

Also Read: Five elections, and a moment of reckoning for Congress, BJP and EC

“I have never seen Congress leaders reaching out to the people at the block or mandal level,” he said.

Goswami also pointed to leadership continuity concerns, noting, “They have come to know… Gaurav is around 43-44 years… so we can never be the chief minister.”

On Bordoloi, he remarked, “He was never a true Congress person… he was an opportunist.”

Defections and electoral implications

The panel discussed a broader pattern of defections affecting the party. Goswami observed, “These people are opportunist… the moment they see an opportunity, they move.”

He added that defections were not limited to the BJP, stating, “Why are people leaving the Congress and joining other parties also? There has to be some problem within the Congress leadership.”

Samir K Purkayastha reinforced this concern, saying, “When you have a series of defections just a few days ahead of the elections, this definitely is not sending across the right message to the electorate.”

He also pointed out that dissatisfaction within the party had been visible for months. “We know for the last two to three months… why didn’t they sit and sort out these differences?” he asked.

Importance of leadership style

Criticism of the leadership emerged as a central theme. Goswami stated, “Gaurav Gogoi failed to build his team,” highlighting frequent exits of trained party members.

He added, “All his media people he built up… then they go to the BJP. This is the problem.”

Also Read: Dissent brews in Congress over Assam seat-sharing even as party releases 2nd poll list

Purkayastha stressed the importance of the leadership style in the Congress. “To be a Congress leader, you have to be a very good man-manager,” he said.

He contrasted leadership approaches, stating, “Congress is a much bigger umbrella… people from different ideologies come there,” requiring a different management style.

Confusion over alliances, seat-sharing

Accessibility of the leadership was also discussed. Purkayastha noted, “Gaurav Gogoi is not very accessible… he functions out of a coterie.”

He added that such a model may not work for the Congress. “In the Congress, this coterie culture will not help… you are dealing with different kinds of people,” he said.

The panel also pointed to confusion over alliances and seat-sharing. “Even the way they deal with seat sharing… it has not sent across a very good message,” Purkayastha observed.

He cited uncertainty in key regions, stating, “In Bodoland areas, we don’t know whether the Congress will go with UPPL or not.”

Deeper issues

Goswami expressed skepticism about Congress’s electoral prospects.

“I don’t think the Congress will form the government… I want some good leaders to come up and sit in the opposition,” he stated.

He highlighted regional challenges, noting weak presence in certain areas.

“In the Bodoland area, the Congress has no workers,” he said.

Also Read: Congress releases second list of 23 candidates for Assam Assembly elections

At the same time, he acknowledged the party's potential in parts of Upper Assam, though concerns remained about internal coordination.

Purkayastha concluded that the party’s current situation reflects deeper issues.

“Yes, Congress has lost its plot… there is a lot of confusion within the party,” he stated.

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