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Sarma-Gogoi patch up raises poll hopes

By AT News |

A sudden patch-up between Tarun Gogoi and Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma seems to have revived the hope of Congress hardly a year ahead of the assembly polls.

Sources available with Assam Times say that the chief minister is believed to have been in constant touch with his former cabinet colleague for the last couple of days to refurbish the image of the ruling party. Even Gogoi is keen to re-induct Dr Sarma in his council of ministers shortly.  

The duo have mended the differences acting on a slew of suggestions they received from the editor in chief of a satellite news channel. The top journalist is further learnt to have tapped KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi to sharpen the attack on BJP.

The former powerful minister has already started taking on Sarbananda Sonowal over the SAF Games. Dr Sarma dared Union sports minister to uplift the sports infrastructure.  

According to senior party leaders, “Dr Sarma has come out to rescue the chief minister who has drawn no less criticism for his doubtful sincerity on the sports event.” 

Apart from his scathing attack on BJP, the KMSS leader has also agreed to field some of his candidates to mar BJP’s poll prospects. It would take time for Akhil Gogoi to implement the strategy as the ruling party has yet to ascertain the Achilles hills. 

“Once the roadmap is finalised KMSS would indirectly help us elect our candidates. His role will help us divide the anti Congress sentiments. KMSS will pull support from traditional AGP voters along with a section of people who have lost faith on BJP after the Centre’s faux pas in the Indo-Bangla land deal and big dams,” said a senior Congress leader who refused to be named.  

The ruling party further hopes to strike advantage of the internal bickering in BJP apart from the non performance of the Asom Gana Parishad. 

Only after these equations, the chief minister agreed to contest the next assembly polls early next year despite the age hurdle. 

“If the party manages to cross the halfway mark it would be able to retain power with support from either BPF or AIUDF. Then Dr Sarma would be allowed to play a high voltage role in the Congress legislative party where dissidence is already over,” said another senior Congress leader.    

Thus the ruling party is preparing a blueprint to keep BJP at bay in the next assembly polls since AGP is no longer a party to be reckoned with.  

 

 

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Assam Times Staff. editor@assamtimes.org
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