After their unsuccessful effort to get the party’s candidate changed during the recent Rajya Sabha elections, a group of rebel Congress MlAs from Assam is now camping in the national Capital demanding removal of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.
The rebel MlAs are unhappy over the working style of Gogoi and want him to be replaced. Their complaint is against the “autocratic” style of function of the Gogoi — a three-time Chief Minister. They feel that younger leaders are not given adequate responsibility by the veteran Gogoi and development work in their constituencies are being ignored.
The Congress leadership is concerned about the situation and is trying to quell the rebellion in its State unit. It is not willing to accept their demand for replacing Gogoi, source said on Friday.
Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury admitted that the leadership is concerned about the situation in the State, but it cannot change the Chief Minister just because some people are complaining against him. She said that Congress leaders concerned are talking to the MlAs to try convince them.
AICC Secretary Parvez Hashmi has talked to these rebel MlAs, but their efforts to get an appointment from Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi to air their grievances have till now remained unsuccessful.
The Chief Minister, on his part, has clarified that he will quit if so directed by the AICC.
After the Chief Ministers’ meet on Internal Security, Gogoi had clarified that none of the rebel MlAs had met him to express their grievances.
For the Congress, replacing Gogoi is not an option as apart from the veteran leader bringing the party back to power three times, there is no acceptable leader who could take his place.
Earlier, during the Rajya Sabha elections also, Congress MlAs had protested against the nomination of the second candidate Santius Kujur for the Rajya Sabha. But after openly criticising his nomination, the rebels ultimately fell in line and abiding by the party whip voted for the party candidate ensuring his victory.