Former Congress leader Himanta Biswa Sarma waves to his supporters as he is welcomed after joining Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport at Borjar, in Guwahati. (Press Trust of India photo)
New Delhi:
The Congress is all set to expel its nine rebel lawmakers in Assam. The party has also decided to ask the Assam Assembly speaker to act against Himanta Biswa Sarma, the rebel leader, under the anti-defection law for switching the side without resigning as a lawmaker.
The decision was taken at a meeting between Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Assam Congress chief Anjan Dutta.
Earlier, Mr Sarma joined the BJP ahead of fresh Assembly elections in the state later this year.
"Rahul Gandhi talks of internal democracy. Madam Sonia Gandhi sent an observer and 52 MLAs supported me. Mr Tarun Gogoi had the backing of only 11 or 12 MLAs. But Rahul Gandhi told me that it's his prerogative to make the chief minister," said Mr Sarma.
Mr Sarma, who is seen as one of the main architects of Congress' repeated wins in Assam, was backed by his supporters to replace Mr Gogoi as the chief minister but the move reportedly didn't find favour with the Congress high command.
Mr Gogoi said that Mr Sarma does not have any ideology and that is the reason why he has joined a communal party.
Asked if the Congress faced the prospect of defeat in next year's Assembly elections in Mr Sarma's absence, he said: "We had lost even when Himanta was there in the party. In last year's Lok Sabha elections, the Congress won only three seats (in the state)."
The decision was taken at a meeting between Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Assam Congress chief Anjan Dutta.
Earlier, Mr Sarma joined the BJP ahead of fresh Assembly elections in the state later this year.
"Rahul Gandhi talks of internal democracy. Madam Sonia Gandhi sent an observer and 52 MLAs supported me. Mr Tarun Gogoi had the backing of only 11 or 12 MLAs. But Rahul Gandhi told me that it's his prerogative to make the chief minister," said Mr Sarma.
Mr Sarma, who is seen as one of the main architects of Congress' repeated wins in Assam, was backed by his supporters to replace Mr Gogoi as the chief minister but the move reportedly didn't find favour with the Congress high command.
Mr Gogoi said that Mr Sarma does not have any ideology and that is the reason why he has joined a communal party.
Asked if the Congress faced the prospect of defeat in next year's Assembly elections in Mr Sarma's absence, he said: "We had lost even when Himanta was there in the party. In last year's Lok Sabha elections, the Congress won only three seats (in the state)."
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