Amidst the demand of complete overhauling in the state leadership, three top AICC leaders on Friday met Congress legislators who in a resolution authorised Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi to nominate leader of the Congress legislature party in Assam.
Informing that AICC obs-ervers and general secretaries Ambika Soni, C.P. Joshi and secretary Avina-sh Pandey met all the MLAs to know their view on leadership issue, sources in the Congress told this newspaper that Mr Debabrata Saikia, son of former chief minister Hiteswar Saikia, was the frontrunner in the race of leadership.
However, ex-chief minister Tarun Gogoi and ex-minister Rockybul Hussain have also thrown their hat in the ring. Sources said that majority of the legislators proposed the name of Mr Saikia, who is believed to have been working for the party silently. He was neither holding any key post during the 15 years of Congress rule, nor involved in any controversy that resulted in the humiliating defeat of the party in the just concluded Assembly polls.
It is significant that a section of Congress leadership is highly upset with Mr Gogoi for charting a wrong course and are particularly crossed over the former chief minister’s decision to go alone in the polls. These leaders feel that an alliance between Congress and AIUDF would have benefited the Congress.
Moreover, rampant corruption and repeated warning of the state leaders failed to alert Mr Gogoi, who overruled such dissenting voice in the party.
Sources said that the pro-Gogoi camp has floated the name of ex-PWD minister Ajanta Neog also. However, there were very few who looked willing to work with Ms Neog and proposed to have a new young face for the party.
When contacted Mr Saikia refused to make any comment but said that he would continue to work for the party irrespective of any post or honour. “We have authorized Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi to take a decision,” said Mr Saikia.
