Congress High Command to decide on CM replacement: Gogoi

Guwahati, Jun 21: Amid indications that he might be replaced,

Chief Minister

today refused to confirm the move to replace him and said any such decision will be taken by the

High Command only.

"I won't say yes, I won't say no," Gogoi told a press conference here when asked if his replacement was in the offing. "It is going to be a High Command decision only... I am going to Delhi tomorrow. We have a meeting with the High Command on Monday," he added.

The Chief Minister said all his counterparts of the Congress-ruled states, along with the PCC Presidents, were called for the meeting. According to senior party leaders at the Congress headquarters in the National Capital, Assam could be the first state where a change of guard can take place. Assam senior minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is leading the dissident camp of the party in the state, is likely to meet top Congress leadership soon.

Congress leadership has been under pressure to replace Gogoi for a long time as rebellion had mounted in the state unit, more so after the poor show of the party in the Lok Sabha polls. The party had managed to win only 3 of the 14 seats in Assam, down from 7 in the previous Lok Sabha elections.

With assembly elections due in Assam in 2016, the leadership views that if a change has to take place, it should be done now so that there is enough time for the new leadership in the state to prepare and perform in the Assembly polls. The decision on replacement of the Chief Ministers is expected soon as part of massive organisational rejig in states after the Congress drubbing in Lok Sabha polls.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his Maharashtra counterpart Prithviraj Chavan held talks with Congress central leadership in New Delhi today amid indications that decision on replacement of chief ministers will be made soon starting with Assam.

PTI