Assam Cong MLAs to write to Sonia Gandhi, suggest corrective measures

Guwahati: As many as 45 of the 78 Congress MLAs, considered to be from the camp opposing Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s leadership, today resolved to send a letter to Sonia Gandhi on the party’s debacle in the Lok Sabha elections in Assam.

At the end of a marathon four-hour meeting at the Congress Legislature Party office in the Assembly building here, Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters that the MLAs discussed the cause for Congress’ poor show in the polls. The party won only three of the 14 seats.

“We discussed the causes of our party’s defeat. On this basis we resolved to send a letter to Sonia Gandhi tomorrow to give her a picture of the situation and suggest corrective measures,” Sarma said.

“45 MLAs have signed the letter and four/five more will also sign tomorrow. But we are not indulging in number game,” he said.

Asked if a deadline had been set for action, Sarma said, “We cannot do that for Sonia Gandhi. It is up to her to take steps.”

Prominent MLAs who attended today’s meeting include former Chief Minister Bhumidhar Barman, ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma, Gautam Roy, Ardhendu Dey, Siddique Ahmed, former ministers Sarat Borkotoky, Gautam Bora, MLAs Abdul Muhib Majumdar, Rumi Nath, Jaanta Mallah Barua, Rekibuddin Ahmed, Hemanta Talukdar and Sushmita Deb, who has been newly elected to the Lok Sabha.

To another query on whether the legislators took a decision on changing Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, the minister said, “We did not discuss the issue of leadership as he (Gogoi) himself is ready to resign.”

PTI