Thaindian News

Guwahati, May 17 (IANS) Tarun Gogoi was set to be sworn in as Assam’s chief minister for the third straight term after being unanimously chosen leader by the 77 newly elected legislators Tuesday.

“I am privileged indeed to be chosen leader of the Congress Legislature Party, and take this opportunity to thank all the legislators and also the people of Assam for reposing faith on us,” Gogoi told journalists.

The 76-year-old Gogoi is to be sworn in by Governor J.B. Patnaik Wednesday at 3 p.m.

The CLP was attended by union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Congress general secretary and in-charge of party affairs for Assam Digvijay Singh.

The incumbent chief minister admitted he is faced with problems of plenty with the Congress alone winning 78 and its ally, the Bodoland People’s Party (BPF), bagging 12 of the total 126 seats.

“Yes the challenge is immense to choose 18 among 77 Congress legislators and from our ally. But we are confident we will be able to give due representation to all sections of the society,” Gogoi said.

Although the Congress could form the government on its own without the support of its ally, all indications are that Gogoi would include at least one or two from the BPF in his cabinet.

There were three ministers from BPF in the outgoing Gogoi-led cabinet.

“We are not going to leave out the BPF,” Gogoi said, hinting of the presence of the BPF in his cabinet.

Meanwhile, the beleaguered Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) that won just 10 seats, 14 less then in the 2006 polls, Tuesday once again blamed tampering of electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the Congress victory.

“We are taking a very serious note of the issue involving manipulation of EVMs by the Congress. We are keeping our options open of approaching the court,” senior AGP leader Hiten Goswami told journalists.

The AGP Tuesday held its steering committee meeting.