Guwahati, Dec. 7: To maintain a clean election slate, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi tonight undertook his first train journey (since taking over the reins of the state in May last year) for the second round of campaigning for the December 12 byelection in Khumtai.

Gogoi, accompanied by his wife Dolly, boarded the Intercity Express at Guwahati railway station at 8 pm. Though the chief minister chose to travel by train for health reasons, Congress sources said this would help the ruling party to strike a bond with the voters, who are mostly from the tea tribe.

He had travelled to Khumtai in a chartered helicopter while kicking off the party’s campaign in the bypoll to the Khumtai Assemby constituency on November 30. An aide of the chief minister said doctors have advised him against long journeys by road.

Police had a tough time ensuring security for Gogoi. Armed guards and policemen in mufti are posted at each railway station along the route. Railway authorities have also deployed additional guards on the train following the lynching of two robbers by passengers of the Guwahati-Tinsukia Intercity Express on Wednesday.

The Congress is faced with an uphill task to ensure the victory of its candidate Lachit Phukan because Asam Chah Mazdoor Sangh leader Sashi Tanti, who is contesting as an Independent candidate, is from the tea tribe community.

However, PCC president Paban Singh Ghatowar, a member of the tribe himself, said the community had always supported the Congress. He claimed that Tanti would not be able to create any impact on the Congress’ traditional support base.

Khumtai has nearly 96,000 voters with 30 per cent belonging to the tea tribe. Seven candidates are in the fray in the byelection, which was necessitated by the death of sitting Congress legislator and former minister Jiba Kanta Gogoi.

The Asam Chah Mazdoor Sangh propped up Tanti, accusing the Gogoi government of neglecting the tea tribe despite a plethora of promises before last year’s Assembly elections.

The Asom Gana Parishad candidate Prabin Gogoi has been working overtime to utilise the opportunity of a possible split in the tea tribe votes.

The state government today issued a notification declaring December 12 as paid holiday in all tea plantations, establishment for public entertainment, workshops and banking institutions under the Khumtai Assembly constituency to enable workers to vote.