The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam has suffered a major setback. Former Union Minister and four-time MP Rajen Gohain resigned from the party’s primary membership on October 9. This resignation is considered the biggest political blow to the state unit since the BJP came to power in 2016. Gohain, who also served as the Assam BJP president, submitted his resignation along with 17 of his supporters at the party headquarters in Guwahati. His move has exposed long-simmering infighting within the party, particularly the factional conflict between the old guard and the new faction led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Gohain said, “The Atal-Advani spirit is no longer present in the BJP.”
In his resignation letter, Rajen Gohain alleged that the BJP had “betrayed” the indigenous people and communities of Assam. He said, “The BJP I joined under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani no longer exists.” Gohain said that today, the party prioritizes those who have recently joined from other parties, while long-time and dedicated workers have been sidelined. He said, “Now the BJP has become the biggest enemy of the Assamese people.” According to him, the Ahom community, once a key player in Assamese politics, has now been marginalized. Previously, the community held influence in 30-40 assembly seats, but now they no longer have the power to decide tickets for any seat.
Resentment fueled by the boundary delimitation dispute
Rajen Gohain’s resentment stems from the 2023 constituency delimitation process. Gohain, who belongs to the Ahom community, resigned from his cabinet-rank position last year for the same reason. He alleged that the new delimitation process had altered the demographics of his former constituency, Nagaon, making it “unwinnable” for BJP candidates. He warned that if old-time workers were sidelined, the consequences would be felt in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It’s worth noting that Gohain represented Nagaon from 1999 to 2019, but was denied a ticket the previous two times, and the seat went to the Congress.
BJP Reacts, Says ‘The Party Doesn’t Belong to Any One Individual’
The BJP has downplayed the impact of Rajen Gohain’s resignation. Assam BJP spokesperson Ranjib Kumar Sharma told The Indian Express, “Gohain was given immense respect and opportunities by the party. He held a cabinet-rank position in the state government and served as a Minister of State at the Centre. What more could he have asked for?” Sharma further stated that the BJP is not a party of any one person, but an organization run by collective efforts. However, political analysts believe that Gohain’s move highlights growing discontent within the party ahead of the 2026 assembly elections and could impact the BJP’s caste equations in Assam.
