Gaurav Gogoi takes charge as Assam Cong chief, urges party workers to brace for 'battle'

Guwahati (PTI): Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday launched his innings as the Assam Congress president with the slogan 'Juz Hobo' (there will be battle) as he urged party workers to prepare themselves for next year's assembly polls.

Assuming charge as the state unit chief, he also appealed for the support of all sections of society to topple the current BJP regime and replace it with a government that works for "harmony and inclusive development".

Gogoi took charge from outgoing president Bhupen Kumar Borah, who had helmed the state's main opposition party for over four years, at the state Congress headquarters, Rajiv Bhawan, here earlier in the day.

He was named the new state unit chief by the party's central leadership last week at a time when Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had been attacking him over his British wife's alleged connection with Pakistan's spy agency ISI.

Senior party leaders, including AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh and Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Debabrata Saikia, were present at Rajiv Bhawan as a festive atmosphere prevailed to welcome the new state chief.

Gogoi visited Kamakhya temple before taking charge as the Congress's state unit chief.

Speaking to reporters after assuming charge, Gogoi said the party will continue to be inspired by its ideology of equality and inclusiveness.

"Inspired by the ideology of leaders from Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru to Hiteswar Saikia and Tarun Gogoi, we will together take the party forward," he said.

Gogoi praised outgoing president Borah for his leadership during a ‘critical phase’ of the party, highlighting his decisive stand against alliance with AIUDF and the ‘Dhubri to Sadiya rally’ as among the steps which inspired the party workers.

Gogoi, along with the three working presidents Jakir Hussain Sikdar, Roselina Tirkey and Pradip Sarkar, participated in a felicitation programme at the party’s Manabendra Sarma Complex in the city later.

Nearly 2,000 party members attended the programme with the crowd swelling out into the streets as they jostled for space to greet Gogoi or catch a glimpse as he reached there from Rajiv Bhawan.

Chaos prevailed for some time during the welcome event as large number of people got on the wooden dais, forcing the organising committee to suspend the felicitation for some time as they expressed apprehension that the platform could collapse.

The felicitation of Gogoi, the three working presidents and other leaders on the dais by various individuals, committees, cells and departments of the party continued intermittently as the top leadership addressed the gathering.

In his first speech as the party chief, Gogoi said the party will approach next year's assembly polls with the slogan 'Juz Hobo'.

"We will fight and this fight will be to establish a government that will work for harmony and equal growth of all sections. I urge our workers to brace themselves for a tough fight ahead," he said.

The Congress's deputy leader in Lok Sabha asserted that party workers will not be dissuaded by threats or false cases that may be brought against them.

Gogoi, the son of the state's longest-serving chief minister, the late Tarun Gogoi, also appealed for the support of all sections of people, from farmers to students to women to senior citizens, to help the Congress in this fight.

He maintained that he had no personal agenda and his sole aim was to strengthen the party further where it already has a notable presence as also in areas where its support base is not significant at the moment.

Gogoi asserted that the top leadership has to focus on areas where the party does not enjoy much support and it cannot leave it on the local leaders alone to recuperate the units.

“Time is short. We have only 10 months. We have to start working from today,” he called on the members.

He said the hard work of the dedicated workers will not go wasted and any past leaders who had deserted it but want to return will be allowed only after getting the nod from the grassroots members, drawing applause from those present.

Gogoi also hit out at the BJP, stating that the Congress does not need a ‘certificate’ from the saffron party for its patriotism.

“If there is one party which has made maximum sacrifice since pre-Independence till date for the nation, it is our party,” he said.

The Jorhat MP added that the focus for the party would be on higher education, healthcare facilities and rural development.

Gogoi, who had flown to his constituency from New Delhi on Saturday, had undertaken a three-day procession from Sivasagar to Guwahati, reaching the city late on Monday evening.

The rally had stopovers at several places including Titabor, Jorhat, Nagaon, Morigaon and Jagiroad, where party workers felicitated Gogoi and he addressed his supporters.