Ranjan Gogoi Assam BJP's CM candidate? BJP calls it Tarun Gogoi's 'desperate statement'

Former Assam Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Tarun Gogoi on Saturday claimed that he got information that former CJI Ranjan Gogoi was in the list of BJP's Chief Ministerial candidates for next year's Assembly elections.

But BJP was quick to rubbish it and termed it as "a desperate statement" by the 85-year-old Congress leader saying Gogoi says whatever comes to his mind. "Has Tarun Gogoi joined BJP? He is a veteran politician and served as Chief Minister for three terms. How can he make such a light and irrelevant statement about the decision by another party and about a former CJI? It suggests he has become frustrated as he knows that BJP and its allies will again form the government," chief spokesperson of BJP's Assam unit, Rupam Goswami told DH on Sunday.

Tarun Gogoi, who declared that he would not be Congress's CM candidate this time, on Saturday claimed that BJP could consider the former CJI as CM candidate as BJP was happy with his judgement over the Ram Mandir issue in Ayodhya.

"Why did not he refuse Rajya Sabha seat? He could become chairman of the human rights commission or any other similar body. This shows he is interested in politics. I have information that Ranjan Gogoi is in the list of BJP's CM candidate," Tarun Gogoi told reporters in Guwahati on Saturday.

When asked about BJP's CM candidate for the Assembly elections slated next year, Goswami said, "The election is still 6-7 months away. Let the time come. But BJP will not ask Tarun Gogoi while deciding this," he said.

Another leader in BJP said the ruling party would not like to change Sarbananda Sonowal for the CM post given his clean image and acceptability among voters and leaders belonging to different communities. This despite the fact that a section within the party wants senior leader and cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to be BJP's CM candidate.

While BJP plans to continue with the pre-poll alliance with the regional AGP and Bodoland People's Front, Congress is trying to stitch a "grand alliance" with Badruddin Ajmal-led All India United Democratic Front and other smaller political forces like left parties to unseat BJP from power.