Bhubaneswar Kalita

Guwahati, July 22: Dropped from the Tarun Gogoi ministry during the downsizing exercise this month, Congress leader Bhubaneshwar Kalita today replaced Paban Singh Ghatowar as the PCC president.

“Congress president Sonia Gandhi has appointed Bhubaneshwar Kalita, MLA, as president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee in place of Paban Singh Ghatowar with immediate effect,” AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said.

Kalita had held the industry portfolio in the Gogoi ministry until its size was reduced from 35 to 19.

Ghatowar decided to relinquish the PCC top job after he lost the election to the Dibrugarh Lok Sabha seat. Throughout his tenure, the former PCC chief shared an uneasy relationship with the chief minister. He questioned the government’s policies on several occasions.

The Kalita-Gogoi equation is just as complex, which means the chief minister might have to contend with the same set of problems that confronted him when Ghatowar was at the helm.

“He (Kalita) is known to speak his mind. Gogoi will not have complete hold over the party with him in the helm of affairs. The PCC will always have an opinion on the way the government is functioning and keep vigil on its performance,” a Congress leader said.

Kalita said immediately after his appointment that he would ensure good coordination between the party and the government. “The party will give all its support to the government.”

His experience in organisational work reportedly gave the former industry minister an edge over other senior leaders who were in the race for the post.

Kalita held key posts in several party organisations — from the All India Youth Congress (AIYC) to the AICC — during his long political career.

He joined the party in 1972 and rose to become the general secretary of the AIYC in 1985. From 1987 to 1992, he was a joint secretary of the AICC. He was in the committee again from 1999 to 2002 as a secretary.

Kalita said his priority was to strengthen and unite the party. He will try to accommodate senior leaders dropped from the ministry in the PCC.

“Those who have been dropped are senior and capable leaders, and I will try to best utilise their services,” he said.