Guwahati, May 16 (IANS): Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Friday said he would tender his resignation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, saying he takes "full responsibility" for the party's electoral defeat in the state.
With counting trends of votes cast in parliamentary elections showing the BJP leading in seven out of 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam, Gogoi told a private TV channel in Guwahati: "I take full responsibility. We are going to accept the people's mandate with all humility. I am going to tender my resignation to the Congress president."
Gogoi, however, said the Congress would retain power in Assam in the 2016 assembly election.
"I have seen late prime minister Indira Gandhi losing elections and again storming back to power. There are wins and defeats in politics," Gogoi said, adding that there could be several reasons for the defeat.
State Congress president Bhubaneswar Kalita echoed similar sentiments.
"It is a collective responsibility of everyone in the Congress. We all are ready to resign, if needed," Kalita said.
Asked about the reasons for the poor show, Kalita said it was too early to comment.
"We are waiting for the final results and we will sit down and discuss the reasons," he said.
The trends in the 14 Lok Sabha seats indicate that the BJP was leading on seven seats, followed by the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) in three seats each. An independent candidate was leading in another seat.