The much-awaited reshuffle of the Tarun Gogoi ministry is finally on the cards with all 14 ministers of his cabinet on Monday resigning as per the blue print prepared by Congress high command.
Their resignations came after the Congress high command gave Gogoi the go-ahead to carry out the reshuffle exercise. Three of the ministers faxed in their resignation letters to the chief minister’s residence.
A Congress party source informed that the new ministry is likely to take oath on January 23 at the Darbar Hall of the Raj Bhawan.
Many senior ministers, especially those who have remained minister since the Congress came to the power in 2001, are expected to be replaced by new faces by Gogoi who is going to exploit the opportunity to weaken the dissident group of MLAs led by former education and health
The demand for reshuffle of the minister was first raised by dissent leader Dr Himanta Bishwa Sharma in the summer of last year in order to impart efficiency to the ministry.
The rebel MLAs’ group led by him even demanded Gogoi’s ouster, which was not heeded by the party high command.
Ultimately, the dissident group’s leader Dr Sarma had to quit the ministry on its own saying that it had become impossible for him to work as a minister under Gogoi.
Meanwhile, three dissident rebel MLAs -- Rekibuddin Ahmed, Abu Taher Bepari and Mansing Rongpi -- have been made party observers for the forthcoming Delhi assembly election with the responsibility of one assembly segment each.
It has been construed as a strategic move by AICC to keep dissident MLAs busy with party assignments while Gogoi reshuffles his ministry.
