'All these people who came from the Congress -- all outsiders -- have been given complete control of the party.'
'Today, we get no response or protection from the central leadership.'
'You can't run a party thinking only your people matter and nobody else should remain.'
Former Union minister and four-time MP Rajen Gohain resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday, ending his nearly 30-year association with the BJP.
The 74-year-old leader resigned along with 17 other members, marking a significant blow -- state BJP president Dilip Saikia begs to differ, though --- to the party ahead of the 2026 Assam assembly elections.
The veteran, a prominent face of the BJP in Assam and a long-time associate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, represented the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency from 1999 to 2019 and served as Union minister of state for railways between 2016 and 2019.
In this interview with Prasanna D Zore/Rediff, Gohain launched a scathing attack on the BJP's state and central leadership, accusing the party of failing "to fulfil the promises made to the people of Assam and betraying indigenous communities by allowing outsiders to settle in the state."
You resigned from the BJP after decades with the party. What prompted this decision?
The party no longer values us (the old BJP leadership in Assam). Nobody consults us, we have no importance whatsoever. All these people who came from the Congress -- all outsiders -- have been given complete control of the party. We didn't join the party to see these people. We joined for leaders like Vajpayeeji. Today, we get no response or protection from the central leadership.
You were a four-time MP. Did you raise these concerns with the central leadership?
I met Amit Shahji (Union home minister) during the delimitation period, hoping for justice. But when the chief minister (Himanta Biswa Sarma) said something, they simply accepted his word. No worker's voice matters anymore. Whatever Himanta Biswa Sarma says becomes final.
What did you discuss with Amit Shah?
I met him during delimitation. I belong to the Ahom community, which had significant influence in 46 constituencies. That community was systematically broken up and weakened through delimitation.
The Ahom identity has been destroyed. Nobody asks us anything. We've been completely sidelined. This is why my trust in the party has broken.
You also met Prime Minister Modi?
No. But I met Amit Shahji before the delimitation in 2023. God knows what transpired. Running a party by listening to just one person doesn't work. Leadership should be based on principles.
Why did you call BJP the 'biggest enemy of Assamese people'?
Because they destroyed the Ahom identity.
They have helped Bangladeshi immigrants enter Assam systematically.
They say one thing to show people but do something else entirely. There are many ways -- land policies, rules and regulations -- that can control this (inflow of Bangladeshi immigrants into Assam). But they've done nothing. They just make statements for show while Bangladeshi dominance continues.
State BJP president Dilip Saikia dismissed your influence, noting that the BJP never won any of the eight assembly seats in Nagaon when you were MP...
Whether my leaving makes a difference or not, I don't know. But I want to tell the public -- don't support national politics. Otherwise, Assam won't be saved. The BJP is most responsible for destroying our community. Only regional parties can save Assam now.
Will you join the Congress?
I may even leave politics altogether. I'm not desperate for power. I am not greedy but I cannot sit quietly if needed.
How many seats does the Ahom community influence today?
We were the deciding factor in 40-46 seats. I don't know the impact on assembly elections, but it will definitely affect parliamentary elections.
Will you form a regional party?
I may form a party or join someone else. I haven't decided yet.
What message would you give Himanta Biswa Sharma and the central leadership?
It's not just me who's dissatisfied. There are lakhs of workers across the country who feel the same. Many leaders in Bihar and elsewhere are also unhappy. Addressing this dissatisfaction should be the central leadership's priority. We crossed 300 seats, then dropped to 240. That should tell them something.
You attribute the decline in seats to leadership arrogance?
When arrogance sets in, it doesn't work. You can't run a party thinking only your people matter and nobody else should remain.
You've criticised delimitation for enabling outsiders to win. Can you elaborate?
Outsiders like Ashok Singhal winning (from an assembly constituency in Assam; Singhal, an MLA from Dhekiajuli, is Assam's minister for health ) was very difficult earlier, but delimitation has made it possible.
The way constituencies were redrawn, such outsiders could now win in 10-20 places. This was done deliberately.
Aren't many people in Assam from outside originally, from Bihar and Madhya Pradesh?
That's a large community too. But what we're seeing now is unprecedented.
You also raised concerns about 'Brahminism' in the Assam BJP. There are reportedly 14-15 Brahmin MLAs now.
Yes, this never happened before. Himanta Biswa Sharma, who is himself a Brahmin, has created this Brahmin dominance. It wasn't like this earlier and the people of Assam have begun to feel and see this dominance.
But it was not always like this. Brahmins also founded this party. There is nothing wrong with that. But earlier, everyone was taken along. Now it's become so pronounced that people are noticing, and there's growing dissatisfaction in Assam.
I desperately hope the central leadership recognises this alienation of indigenous communities from the BJP and does some soul-searching as to who they should trust with Assam's future.
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