By IANS,
Guwahati : Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi declared on his 77th birthday Monday that he would lead the Congress to a convincing victory in next year’s assembly elections.
“I am here to lead the Congress along with all my supporters and well wishers and am confident we will win,” said the chief minister, who underwent three critical heart surgeries in August.
Gogoi said this after cutting the birthday cake flanked by his wife Dolly and a host of friends, relatives, and ministerial colleagues.
He said: “As long as I am the chief minister, I would continue to inspire my party workers and work for the overall development of the state.”
“The people of Assam by and large are convinced that during the past nine years of Congress government in Assam, the state has prospered and progressed well,” Gogoi said.
He said formal peace talks with the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) could probably begin within two months.
There is no word if the elusive ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah would join the peace talks.
“We are trying to get Paresh Baruah to the talks table. But even if he refuses to join the peace process, we will go ahead and not indefinitely wait for him,” Gogoi said.