NEW DELHI, Feb 24 - Downplaying the relevance of declaration of Union Minister and State BJP chief Sarbananda Sonowal as the chief ministerial candidate, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi asked the BJP-led Central government to restore the Special Category State status and other benefits taken away by the Modi government.
The Chief Minister told newsmen here this afternoon that he does not consider Sonowal as his opponent and his arch-rival is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. �The Prime Minister is not my personal enemy, but I am opposed to his divisive policies and the injustice done to the north-eastern States,� he said.
The Chief Minister, who is in the Capital to take part in �The Economic Times Trophy 2015� award, targeted the BJP, claiming that the previous NDA regime was the darkest period in the history of Assam.
Gogoi also defended his government�s decision to sanction special perks for former Chief Minister, claiming that the proposal was an old one and the Cabinet recently cleared it. All former Chief Ministers will be entitled to these perks, as the Cabinet resolution will have a retrospective effect, he said.
