GUWAHATI, June 21 � Though the dissidents and loyalists of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi are refraining from making any comment on the issue of change of leadership following orders from the All India Congress Committee (AICC), the troubles are far from over and simmering tension is brewing in both the camps.
Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) sources told The Assam Tribune that the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge is scheduled to arrive in Guwahati on Monday to take stock of the situation.
Sources said that according to an intimation received from the AICC, Kharge would meet all the Congress legislators in Guwahati to take their opinions. It is still not decided whether Kharge would meet the legislators together or individually. After listening to the views of the legislators, he would apprise the party high command so that a final decision on the issue of change of leadership can be taken at the earliest, sources said.
Meanwhile, Health and Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had gone to New Delhi yesterday, rushed back to the State immediately after the visit of Kharge was announced, apparently to formulate strategies for his camp.
Though no dissident leader is willing to go on record, the dissidents are in an upbeat mood over the scheduled visit of the AICC observer as they feel that they would be able to express their feelings openly. Dissident sources said that they also believe that the visit would be the first step towards change of leadership of the Assam Congress Legislature Party (ACLP).
Our Special Correspondent adds from New Delhi: The election committee meeting of the AICC, scheduled to be held on June 23, has been postponed to July 6. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and APCC president Bhubaneswar Kalita were scheduled to attend the meeting.
