Bogged down by frequent attack of dissident leaders in media, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi here on Saturday threatened to resign if Congress president Sonia Gandhi desires him to do so.
In an obvious reference to offensive launched by dissident legislators led by health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Mr Gogoi said, “I am not hungry for power. I will not hesitate for a second in quitting the post once Congress president asks me to step down.”
Visibly upset over propaganda campaign of his Opponents who also claim to have the support of Congress high command, Mr Gogoi said, “Even if a group of Congress MLAs desire a new chief minister in my place, they should say so openly. They have written a letter asking me to hold a meeting of Congress Legislature Party but not to remove me.”
Daring the dissident leader to elect a new leader if they have strength to do so, Mr Gogoi said, “If high command advises me to step down, I am ready to do so but it is not that one can serve the people in government only. If necessary I will form an NGO in the name of Rajeev Gandhi and will continue to serve the people of the state.”
It is significant that 31-legislators has called for a CLP meeting but in the letter legislators have not expressed their “no confidence” in the leadership of Mr Gogoi.
Meanwhile, Mr Gogoi who indicated an early reshuffle in his council of ministers has sought an appointment with Congress president Sonia Gandhi to apprise her on political scenario of the state. The Congress insiders claimed that Mr Gogoi would also seek the permission of the Congress high command to drop some of the ministers in his council of ministers who are involved in anti-party activities.
The Gogoi camp, which was keeping a close watch on political developments that culminated in demand of CLP meet by dissident camp, said that Mr Gogoi has decided to reshuffle his council of ministers to silence some of the voices challenging his leadership.
Mr Gogoi is under pressure from all corners to reshuffle his council of ministers as his loyalists legislators argued that Mr Gogoi has started losing confidence of his supporters by not taking any action against dissident leaders attacking him in media openly.