GUWAHATI, Aug 23 - The Assam BJP on Sunday rubbished Congress leader and former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi�s claim that former Supreme Court Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi could be the BJP�s chief ministerial candidate in the next year�s Assembly polls, and instead praised CM Sarbananda Sonowal.
Tarun Gogoi, the Chief Minister for 15 years until the BJP came to power in 2016, told the media in Guwahati on Saturday that the former CJI could be the BJP�s chief ministerial candidate in the polls, likely to be held in April-May next year.
BJP State president Ranjeet Kumar Dass said �some people utter a lot of hollow matter when they grow very old, and we will like to put Tarun Gogoi�s statement in that category�. He said �There is not an iota of truth in what Tarun Gogoi told the media.�
Ranjan Gogoi retired as CJI on November 17, 2019. He took oath as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha in March this year.
Assam BJP spokesperson Dewan Dhrubajyoti Moral said the party �has no reason to look beyond incumbent Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal who has a clean image along with good performance record and is acceptable to all tribals, non-tribals and other indigenous groups in the State.�
Tarun Gogoi, who represents the Titabor constituency in Assam Assembly, also said that he would contest the next elections, but neither he nor his parliamentarian son Gaurav would be the Congress� prospective CM candidate.
The elections to the 126-member Assembly in 2016 threw up a fractured mandate and no party got an absolute majority. The BJP is ruling with the support of Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People�s Front along with one Independent MLA. � IANS
