Guwahati, August 23: Tarun Gogoi, former Assam chief minister and veteran Congress leader on Sunday said that the former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi is likely to be the chief ministerial candidate for the Bhatatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam in 2021 Assembly polls. According to a report by TOI, Tarun Gogoi said he has heard from his sources that the ex-CJI's name is included in the list of the BJP’s candidates for the chief minister’s post for the upcoming elections in the northeastern state. “I suspect he might be projected for the next possible chief ministerial candidate for Assam,” Gogoi was quoted in the report.

The former Assam chief minister said that if the former CJI could go to Rajya Sabha, he might agree to be the next Chief Minister candidate of the BJP. According to a TOI report, the ex-Assam chief minister said it is all about politics and claimed that BJP was happy with Ranjan Gogoi over Ayodhya Ram Mandir case judgment, following which he accepted the Rajya Sabha nomination because he had an interest in politics. Ranjan Gogoi Takes Oath As Rajya Sabha MP; Opposition Stages Walkout, Chants 'Shame, Shame'.

The former chief minister of Assam also announced that he will not be the next ‘prospective’ CM candidate of the Congress in Assam. The report adds that he has been advocating to form a ‘grand alliance’ including Badruddin Ajmal-led All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Left and regional parties to uproot BJP from power.

“I am not going to be the chief minister of the state. I would like to be a guiding force or act as an advisor. There are several qualified candidates in Congress who can take charge,” Gogoi added. A report by TOI quotes the former Assam Chief Minister saying that that only a common candidate from the possible alliance should be projected as the chief ministerial candidate.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 23, 2020 02:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).