Rajen Gohain’s resignation casts shadow over BJP’s key election meet in Dibrugarh

Dibrugarh, Oct 10: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) crucial two-day extended executive meeting in Dibrugarh was overshadowed on Thursday by the sudden resignation of senior leader and four-time MP Rajen Gohain. The meeting was convened to chart the party’s roadmap for the 2026 Assam Assembly elections.

Gohain, a former Union Minister of State for Railways and ex-president of the Assam BJP, tendered his resignation earlier in the day, citing dissatisfaction with the party’s internal functioning and what he described as an “unfavourable environment” for senior members.

The timing of Gohain’s exit coincided with a high-level meeting attended by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, State BJP President Dilip Saikia, and several other senior leaders, who had gathered in Dibrugarh to finalise the party’s electoral strategy.

Reacting to the development, Chief Minister Sarma acknowledged Gohain’s long-standing contributions to the BJP and the state.

“Rajen Gohain has contributed immensely to the BJP’s growth in Assam. He played a crucial role in building the organisation from its early days. While he has left, his son Nabarun Gohain continues to work actively with us. We wish him well and hope he continues to serve the people and the nation,” Sarma said.

State BJP President Dilip Saikia described the move as “unfortunate and unexpected,” revealing that the party leadership was caught off guard by the timing of the resignation.

“While we were in the Dibrugarh meeting, he suddenly went to the state office and submitted his resignation. He had assured us that he would continue working for the party, so the decision came as a shock. Over the past three decades, the party has given him much, just as he has contributed immensely to it,” Saikia said.

Responding to Gohain’s criticism of the BJP’s internal environment, Saikia maintained that such grievances should have been addressed through internal discussions rather than through resignation.

“That is his personal perception. Many senior leaders have been working under the same system for years. If he was dissatisfied, it was his responsibility to raise the issues within the organisation and find solutions, not walk away,” Saikia added.

Despite the controversy, the BJP continued with its scheduled agenda at the Dibrugarh meet. Chief Minister Sarma announced that the party’s core committee had initiated the formation of key election panels, including the manifesto and management committees, and was preparing to organise a large booth-level workers’ meeting in Guwahati, followed by youth rallies across the state.

The meeting also discussed the upcoming visits of top national leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and BJP National President JP Nadda, ahead of the 2026 polls.

Even as the party’s leadership worked to project unity and focus, Gohain’s exit has cast a shadow over the meeting, raising questions about internal dissent and the BJP’s approach toward senior figures ahead of a critical election year.