Gaurav Gogoi assumes charge as Assam Congress president

Though a new person has assumed this post, the Congress’s ideology and ideals remain the same as ever, said Gogoi after assuming charge as the president of the Congress’ Assam state unit

GUWAHATI: Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP from Jorhat, Gaurav Gogoi, officially took charge as the president of the party’s Assam state unit at their headquarters in Guwahati on Tuesday.

Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi being welcomed by party supporters on his way to Guwahati on Monday. (PTI)

Gogoi, who is also the deputy leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha, was welcomed by his predecessor Bhupen Kumar Borah to the office where he assumed office in presence of a number of leaders including party’s state in-charge Jitendra Singh, Lok Sabha MP Rakibul Hussain, leader of opposition in state assembly Debabrata Saikia and working presidents Roselina Tirkey, Jakir Hussain Sikdar and Pradip Sarkar.

Gogoi was named president of the Assam Congress on May 26, ahead of next year’s assembly polls in the state.

Following his appointment, Gogoi had arrived at his constituency Jorhat on May 31 and had undertaken a road show from there to Guwahati, covering a distance of around 300 km, along with other party leaders and supporters.

“This is just a small step for me. Though a new person has assumed this post, the Congress’s ideology and ideals remain the same as ever. We want everyone to be equal and get equal rights as enshrined in our Constitution,” said Gogoi after assuming charge and thanked the party leadership for giving him the responsibility.

“Our effort would be to win next year’s assembly election and I am sure all our party MP, MLAs, office bearers and workers work together towards that end,” he added.

The three-time MP’s elevation to the new role comes amid a series of electoral losses the party has been suffering since Congress lost power to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam in 2016.

Outgoing president Borah has been appointed president of the party’s campaign committee chief and leader of opposition in the state assembly, Debabrata Saikia, as head of the coordination committee. Sitting MPs, Pradyut Bordoloi, will head the manifesto committee, while Rakibul Hussain will be president of the publicity committee.

Since February this year, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been targeting Gogoi, the son of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, alleging that the latter had visited Pakistan and spent several days there without briefing the Centre and that his wife had worked in the neighbouring country and has links with their military and intelligence establishments.

The same month, the state police following directions by the cabinet had formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the links of Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth, a British national, who had worked in the neighbouring country while employed with an NGO. Sarma has been saying that the results of the investigations would be revealed on September 10.

Gogoi, while admitting his Pakistan visit in 2013, when his wife was posted there, has denied any links with Pakistan’s military or intelligence agencies, both by him and his wife, and has dared Sarma to reveal the outcome of the SIT probe immediately.