Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun
Gogoi on Thursday asserted that he was not retiring from politics
and the challenges posed by the Opposition had made him
resolute to return the Congress to power for the third
consecutive term.
``I am not retiring now. The Opposition has challenged
me and this has made me feel younger. I accept their challenge
and we firmly believe that it will be our party which will
return to power``, Gogoi told reporters in Guwahati.
``It is not that I am being projected as the Chief
Minister. We are not bothered about who is going to be the
Chief Minister``, he added.
The Chief Minister asserted he has been in ``politics
for a long time and the people of Assam will decide my fate``.
The statement made by Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) that
they will win around 50 to 60 seats in the forthcoming polls
and if they lose ``it will be due to tampering of EVMs by the
ruling party is nothing but ridiculous. The stark reality is
that AGP is a losing party and the people of Assam do not
have any faith in it``, Gogoi said.
Asked whether former AGP MP and students leader
Sarbananda Sonowal`s joining the BJP would affect the
Congress, the Chief Minister claimed it was not a matter of
concern for the party.
``Surprisingly, it was the same Sonowal who was the
common candidate of the AGP-BJP in the last Lok Sabha
elections and he had to taste defeat at the hands of the
Congress candidate``, Gogoi added.
PTI
