Keshab Chandra Gogoi ministry

Formation

President’s Rule was imposed in Assam after the Anwara Taimur government failed to get the Assam appropriation bill passed by the assembly. On 12 January 1982, Gogoi told the press that he had the backing of 63 MLAs. Gogoi stated "I cannot reveal the identities of the 63 legislators whose support I enjoy for obvious reasons. But I am confident I will prove my majority on the floor of the House." Gogoi then contested for the Leadership.^[4]

The Taimur Camp had encouraged Hiteswar Saikia to contest Gogoi’s claim but an opinion poll before the final selection revealed only supporters of Saikia among the 35 partymen assembled while 24 favoured Gogoi and 3 remained neutral. Hours before the selection meeting, 4 Taimur supporters resigned from the party.^[4]

Governor Prakash Mehrotra accepted Gogoi’s claim that he had the support of 63 MLAs and he was sworn in as Chief Minister of Assam on 13 January 1982 at Raj Bhavan in a simple ceremony. He constituted his Left-Janata coalition ministry on 13 January 1982.^[1][3] For many MLAs support of the new government was fear that the Assembly may be dissolved if they don't.^[4]

Changes

On 30 January, the ministry was expanded, with two ministers, Sonaram Thaosen and Dhaniram Rongpi, being sworn-in by Mehrotra. They were included in the initial Gogoi cabinet list, but were not allocated portfolios or sworn-in until 30 January.^[5]

Revenue minister Ramesh Chandra Saharia died on 8 February.^[5]

On 8 March, the ministry gained wider representation with five more ministers being sworn-in. Congress MLAs Ranendra Basumatari, Joy Chandra Nagbanshi, and Plain Tribals Council of Assam (PTCA) MLA Samar Brahma Choudhury were appointed to cabinet. Kaliram Dekaraja and Aklius Tirkey were appointed ministers of state. The government composition subsequently changed to fourteen cabinet ministers, four ministers of state and one deputy minister.^[6]

Motion of No-confidence

On 17 March 1982 a Motion of No Confidence was moved against the 65-day-old ministry. Sarat Chandra Singha, Golap Borbora, Hemen Das, Promode Gogoi, Zainal Abedin, Premadhar Bora and Ramesh Mohan Kouli jointly filed the motion. The speaker admitted it and fixed discussion for 18 March 1982. However, the speaker adjourned the house sine die after he learned Gogoi tendered in his resignation to the Governor. The opposition had a majority in the house however the Governor chose to dissolve the legislative assembly on advice of Gogoi.

Gogoi, when asked why he recommended the assembly’s dissolution, said "I had no other alternative. If I did not make such a recommendation then the Governor would have had no other alternative but to allow the Opposition to form a ministry." Opposition leader and former Chief Minister Sarat Chandra Singha called this "sheer fascism".^[2] On 19 March, the President Sanjiva Reddy then issued a proclamation which dissolved the legislative assembly and brought the state under President's rule.^[7]

Cabinet

Junior ministers