GUWAHATI: The ruling Congress in Assam is leaving no stone unturned to save the party from another face off in the coming assembly polls especially at a time when the BJP has made strong inroads into the state. The party which had a face off in Lok Sabha, Municipality and BTC elections respectively, has inducted two ministers into its cabinet on Tuesday.

Two former ministers of Gogoi’s cabinet, who were asked to resign in the early part of the year- Gautam Roy and Siddique Ahmed, following a rebellion led by former Congress leader Himanta Biswa Sharma took oath in Rajbhawan in Guwahati in presence of Governor P.B Acharya and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

Political sources say, Gautam Roy, the former minister for Public Health Engineering is given the responsibility of Corporative Minority Welfare Department. Likewise, Siddique Ahmed, the former minister for Border Area Development got the portfolio of Social Welfare Minister.

Siddique Ahmed said, “I am very happy as I feel I have regained my lost respect. I want to thanks Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Rahul Gandhi and respected Sonia Gandhi. Though I am given responsibility for a less period of time, I will try my best to work for the people of the state”.

Notably, four seats had remained vacant in Gogoi’s ministry following resignation of the entire cabinet ministry earlier this year. Both the ministers had to step down as they were close allies of Himanta Biswa Sharma and had supported him in his rebellion against Tarun Gogoi.

But flowing BJP and AIUDF making strong hold in Barak valley of Assam, Gogoi has re-appointed these leaders to prevent further loss. Gautam Roy is the MLA of Katlichera of Hailakandi and Siddique Ahmed represents South Karimganj in Barak valley.

Congress which used to control seven Parliamentary seats out of fourteen went down to three seats in the last parliamentary poll. The minority massacre and land swap agreement and recently the settlement minority refugee issue has also made the party slowly losing its popularity among the Bengali Muslims in Barak valley and Lower Assam. The induction of the two former rebel ministers is seen as Gogoi’s attempt to regain the trust of the Bengali speaking community of the state says political experts.

(TNT News)