Guwahati, June 28: The Assam Congress today heaved a sigh of relief when two cabinet ministers — power minister Debananda Konwar and industry minister Bhubaneswar Kalita — put in their papers after initial reservation. Konwar sent his resignation through a personal aide, while Kalita personally handed over his to chief minister Tarun Gogoi. There was a lot of apprehension in the party over the two leaders’ initial indifferent response to the chief minister’s request on relinquishing their posts before he downsized the government.
“Both of them made their reservations known and hence, the apprehension was natural,” a Congress leader said, admitting that there was tension within the party over the duo’s delay in submitting papers.
Apart from the two cabinet ministers, minister of state for planning and development Himanta Biswa Sarma also tendered his resignation before the chief minister boarded his flight to New Delhi.
With the resignation of the three ministers today, 29 of the state’s 35 ministers have put in their papers to pave the way for the chief minister to select his new team.
Those who did not resign today are expected to do so within a day or two. These ministers are Hemoprabha Saikia (handloom and textile), Nazrul Islam (food and civil supplies), minister of state for home Rockybul Hussain, minister of state for transport and social welfare Sharifa Begum, minister of state for fisheries Etuwa Munda and minister of state for industry Ananda Ram Barua.
Sarifa Begum is already camping in New Delhi and is in touch with minority and Jamiat leaders to lobby for her. Though the Jamiat has not spelt out its demand officially, a few leaders of the influential organisation have already started pressuring the chief minister to include a few Muslim legislators of their choice in the new ministry.
Immediately after putting in his papers, Kalita boarded a flight to Calcutta, en route to New Delhi. Konwar is also scheduled to reach New Delhi within a day or two to lobby with the party central leadership. Both ministers are likely to be dropped.
Congress sources said Kalita could be offered the post of party president. Lok Sabha member and a close aide of the chief minister, Biren Singh Ingti, who was the frontrunner for the post, has reportedly expressed his unwillingness to take up the responsibility. “He is more keen on a ministerial berth at the Centre,” a Congress source close to Ingti said.
“However, the problem is that Kalita himself is not very keen in taking up the post either,” a Congress source said. Incumbent president Paban Singh Ghatowar is likely to be shunted out when the party’s organisational set-up is restructured nationwide.
Several other dropped ministers would be rehabilitated in the party to strengthen the organisation before the next Assembly elections in 2006.
The chief minister is scheduled to return to the city on Saturday and announce the list of new ministers. The latest amendment stipulates that Gogoi cut down the size of his ministry to 19 from the current 35.