A day after Assam Health and Education Minister Himan-ta Biswa Sarma tendered his resignation to Governor JB Patnaik, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee came to the rescue of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and said that it has approached the All India Congress Committee (AICC) for necessary disciplinary action against the ‘rebel’ MlAs including Sarma.
APCC chief spokesperson Mehdi Alam Bora on Monday termed the development as against the party discipline and said that all the elected members of the Congress must follow the instruction of the Congress legislature Party.
“Whatever has happened is unfortunate and we condemn this. There is no system in the party that allows any disgruntled member to play the role of a constructive Opposition as stated by Sarma. All elected members of the party must follow the direction of the ClP,” Bora said while adding that the Health Minister had violated the disciplines of the party by meeting the Governor with his supporters and submitting the resignation.
The Assam Health and Education Minister had on Monday met the Governor and tendered his resignation saying that it is not possible to work under Gogoi ‘mentally, physically and politically’. Sarma, once a favourite of the Chief Minister, also said that he is not going to withdraw his resignation and that he is not going to come back to the Ministry as long as Gogoi continues as the Chief Minister.
Sarma, who had been leading the dissidence in Assam Congress for the last two years, had also said that the party is going to win not more than 10 to 15 seats in the next State Assembly polls in 2016 if Gogoi continues as the Chief Minister.
“Whatever the allegations Sarma leveled against the CM is against the principles and constitution of the party. The Health Minister had broken all the traditions of the party by meeting the Governor with his supporters and tendering his resignation,” said APCC spokesperson.
“The Congress high command has decided not to replace Gogoi despite the activity of a section of dissident leaders to dislodge the CM. Under this circumstances, the Health Minister’s decision to defy the high command is against the party discipline,” he said.