"We have contacted the AICC regarding the matter after news reports of Gogoi being considered as a candidate for the post of Vice President. AICC has made it clear that there is no proposal to make Gogoi a candidate," Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) Chairman Bhubaneshwar Kalita said here.
He said that while AICC recognises Gogoi as a leader of "national stature", the party's central leadership feels that the chief minister should stay back in Assam and take the current peace process with militant groups to a logical conclusion.
"Personally also, I believe that while Gogoi should achieve as big a post as possible, at the same time at this moment we require him in Assam to continue the peace process taken up under his leadership and also to sustain the state government's development projects," Kalita said.
Speculation regarding Gogoi's candidature for the Vice President's post, polls for which are scheduled for August, has been rife in the state for some time.
Congress sources said his candidature is being propagated by certain youth leaders in the state who aspire to take over leadership of the government in case Gogoi departs for New Delhi.
