(rptg, correcting garbles in para one)

Guwahati, May 11 (UNI) Throughout the last week, the most outgoing Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi was the isolated man in Asom politics as both his party and polity had started distancing from him and writing his political epitaph.

But when the counting results poured in, he proved the media, detractors within his own party and opposition wrong as he led the Congress to an unprecedented second term, a feat no one had achieved since 1978 in Asom.

'' Today I may fall just short of simple majority but I have proved all exit polls wrong. I have proved Asom's media wrong by coming to a position from where Congress can comfortably form the government with the help of alliance partner BPPF(H),'' he said.

He was projected as a liability within the Congress by his detractors and there are still attempts to deny him a second chance.

But two of the biggest contenders for the post, Devananda Konwar (Thowra) and Bhubaneshwar Kalita (Rangiya) tasted defeat.

'' The High Command would decide the Chief Minister. I was never an aspirant when responsibility was thrust upon me. This time also I was not in the race for chief ministership. If party wants to give the responsibility I will carry out. But I will take home the pride that people of Asom voted in favour of Congress for second successive time because of our good work,'' he asserted.

Agreeing that coalition politics had reached Asom despite initial aversion towards it, Mr Gogoi said that he would remain flexible on accommodating other parties in a coalition government.

UNI MT KK HT1735