No proposal to reshuffle ministry, says Gogoi

The CM's Delhi visit sparked off speculation that he's going to discuss a reshuffle with the high command

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday said that there was no proposal for reshuffle in his ministry and he had not taken any decision in this regard.

''I have not taken any decision regarding reshuffle in the ministry nor have I sent a proposal to the party (Congress) high command in this regard,'' he told reporters here before leaving for New Delhi.

Gogoi's departure for New Delhi comes close on the heels of group of dissident Congress legislators visit to the national capital to allegedly demand that certain ministers be dropped.

The CM's Delhi visit has sparked off speculation here that he was going to discuss a reshuffle in the ministry with the high command.

Gogoi, however, dismissed the speculations saying that he was going to New Delhi on 'government related' meetings and there was no immediate plan to reshuffle his cabinet.

Asked to comment on dissidents going to New Delhi to demand the removal of certain ministers, he said ''It is good that they have gone and they are coming out in the open with whatever grievances they have.''

About dissidence in the party, Gogoi said, ''I have faced dissidence for the last 40 years of my career with many Congress leaders contesting elections against me. This is a part of life.''

He said there was a lot of work that needed to be done, particularly in the rural areas of Assam. ''We are doing our best to implement the various schemes initiated by the UPA government at the Centre.