Senior minister likely to discharge Assam CM's duties in his absence

GUWAHATI: With Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi suffering from ill health, a minister is likely to be selected to discharge his duties. A team of all opposition parties met union home minister P Chidambaram and demanded that all departments of North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council be brought within the ambit of CBI probe. The parties also asked the home minister to restart the pilot project of updating the National Register of Citizens.

Gogoi has moved out of Max Hospital in New Delhi on Wednesday. He is presently in his Tinmurty Lane residence in Delhi. Prominent cardio-vascular thoracic surgeon Dr Ramakanta Panda, who is also vice-chairman of the Asian Heart Institute (AHI) on Thursday, met chief minister in New Delhi and discussed if Gogoi required surgery or not.

Gogoi is likely to leave for Mumbai where he will undergo surgery. The head of the cardiology department of Gauhati Medical College Hospital, Dr Anjan Kumar Bhattacharyya went to Mumbai on Wednesday to hold discussions with Dr Panda.

Sources in the state government said, "It will take some time for the chief minister to recover. However, a minister will be selected to discharge chief minister’s duties. Dr Bhumidhar Barman, senior minister, is likely to preside over the Cabinet meetings."

Sources pointed out, "A team comprising ministers, Dr Barman, Bharat Narah and Pradyut Bordoloi, is likely to be named by Gogoi to oversee the administration. Barman has, in the past, discharged this function."

Visitors continue to flock to inquire about the health of the chief minister. The visitors included leader of opposition in Assam, Chandra Mohan Patowary, parliamentarian Badruddin Ajmal, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president, Bhubaneswar Kalita.