Tarun Gogoi raps up minister for demanding change of Congress leadership

Guwahati: Plagued with dissidence, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday ticked off a minister for demanding change of leadership. Showing no signs of yielding, the minister shot back, saying a dharna could be held outside Rahul Gandhi's residence in Delhi if there was no change in the top rungs. "If necessary, I will take strong action against him," Gogoi told reporters here referring to Siddeque Ahmed, the Co-operation and Border Areas Development minister.

"We have said that we will accept whatever the high command decides and it may be in their (dissidents) favour or may be against them. But they are saying that it should be only in their favour. How can this be possible?" Gogoi asked.

The minister, in a swift reaction, said that dissident MLAs might take a step like holding a dharna before the Congress Vice-President's residence in Delhi or boycotting the forthcoming Assembly session, while reiterating his decision for a leadership change.

"Our main demand is leadership change. We have informed the party high command about this and that we are in the majority. We will accept whatever decision the high command takes. But we will not accept Gogoi's leadership at any cost," Ahmed told PTI.

"At present, there is no governance in the state. Nobody in my own department listens to me. Central assistance is being cut gradually due to non-performance. If this situation continues, we will not be able to form the government in 2016 state elections," Ahmed claimed.