Rebellion against Tarun Gogoi: Kharge to go to Assam today

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: With demands for removal of Tarun Gogoi as Assam Chief Minister gaining ground, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge will go to Guwahati on Monday as central observer.

As per reports, Kharge, who is the leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, will meet party MLAs and PCC office-bearers to ascertain their views and report back to high command.

Gogoi is under fire from within the party after the Congress managed to win only three of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Leading the rebellion by a section of MLAs is Himanta Biswa Sarma, reports said.

The Chief Minister had offered to resign and had met Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

When asked if his replacement was on the cards, Gogoi had earlier said, "I won`t say yes, I won`t say no. It is going to be a high command decision only."

Congress has been debating the pros and cons of replacing its chief ministers in order to beat the anti-incumbency mood in some states and save the party from breaking up in others. Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan`s fate also hangs in balance following the poor show in the polls.

However, no decision has been taken so far for sending central observers to Maharashtra.

The talk about a change of guard in Maharashtra had gained momentum after senior party leaders A K Antony and Ahmed Patel met NCP chief Sharad Pawar at his residence recently where the issue was discussed threadbare.

Congress could win only two and its ally NCP just four of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections.