By Syed Zarir Hussain, IANS,
Guwahati : Congress veteran Tarun Gogoi, 76, was Wednesday sworn-in as Assam’s chief minister for the third straight term, even as party workers and supporters refrained from celebrating the historic victory.
“We need to be calm and patient as we know the road ahead is even more challenging and lots of promises to be kept as we step into the third term in office,” the chief minister told IANS soon after being sworn-in.
“I told my party workers and supporters to be humble in victory. People are celebrating the victory in their hearts as they know it would be the Congress government that can fulfill their aspirations,” he added.
Governor J.B. Patnaik administered the oath of office and secrecy to Gogoi at a simple function at the Raj Bhawan.
“I am committed to working sincerely for the overall development and ushering permanent peace in Assam,” a beaming Gogoi said, flanked by his wife Dolly and son Gaurav.
The Congress scored a political hat-trick by literally decimating the opposition to smithereens in the assembly elections, results of which were announced May 13. The Congress won 78 of the 126 assembly constituencies, while its ally Bodoland People’s Party (BPF) bagged 12 seats.
The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), the party that ruled Assam twice in 1985 and 1989, was demolished and managed to win just 10 seats this time, 14 less then what it bagged in the 2006 assembly polls.
The other main opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won five seats, five less then what it got in the last assembly elections.
So how did Gogoi manage to come back to power for a third term at a time when the opposition was going berserk alleging that the government swindled Rs.1,000 crore of central funds meant for the North Cachar Hills district?
“Gogoi’s clean image and his no-nonsense approach convinced the people that he deserves a third term and hence the opposition was simply routed,” said Wasbir Hussain, director of the Centre for Peace and Development Studies, a Guwahati-based think-tank.
“There was visible development in sectors like infrastructure, healthcare, poverty alleviation schemes, besides the most important issue of bringing most of the militant groups to the negotiating table,” he added.
It was during his tenure that the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), fighting for an independent homeland since 1979, began peace talks with New Delhi.
Half-a-dozen more rebel armies, including the outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), too are in the peace mode – a feat that helped Gogoi to once again get the confidence of the people of Assam.
The Congress victory in Assam could well inspire other northeastern states as well.
“There is a feeling now in Manipur and other northeastern states that if Tarun Gogoi could help bring militants to the negotiating table, then why not us? This would surely have a positive impact in other states in the northeast,” Hussain said.
“We have to work even harder this time to live up to the expectations of the people,” the chief minister said.
Gogoi is likely to announce the list of his council of ministers later this week, while the swearing-in of his cabinet expected next week.