Guwahati, May 22
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi today declined to accept Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s resignation following party’s dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections. Gogoi met Sonia in New Delhi and offered to resign taking moral responsibility for the poll defeat in the state.

A reshuffle in the Assam Cabinet is likely after the Gogoi-led government observes its third anniversary of its third consecutive term in office on June 1, said senior party MLA Anjan Dutta.

Sonia’s decision was corroborated by senior Congress leader and former MP Bijoy Krishna Handique, considered close to Gogoi.

Dutta said Gogoi along with a group of supporters, including ministers Pradyut Bardoloi, Rakibul Hussain, Nilamoni Sen Deka and Tanka Bahadur Rai, met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, AICC in charge of Assam CP Joshi and party general secretary Ahmed Patel before meeting Sonia in the evening.

“The AICC leaders told Gogoi to continue as Chief Minster,” Dutta said.