Kesab Chandra Gogoi

President N Sanjiva Reddy issued a proclamation revoking President's rule imposed on Assam on 30 June 1981, and extending for another term of six months. The President's rule was imposed when the government of Anwara Taimur failed to get the Assam appropriation bill passed by the assembly. Gogoi became one of the Chief Ministers of Assam on 13 January 1982, ending 197 days of President's rule in Assam.[5][13] Just before his selection, 4 supporters of Anwara Taimur resigned from the party. However, Taimur proposed Gogoi for the leadership, as did future Chief Minister Hiteswar Saika. Earlier, the Taimur camp had encouraged Saikia to contest Gogoi's claim but an opinion poll before the final selection showed there were only 8 backers of Saikia among the 35 partymen assembled while 24 supported Gogoi and 3 remained neutral.[5]

Gogoi told the press a day before his swearing-in that he had backing of 63 out of 125 members of the Assembly. Minutes after it was known that the Governor, Prakash Mehrotra, had accepted Gogoi's claim, Gogoi was sworn in a ceremony at Raj Bhavan.[13] Gogoi said that he was giving top priority to the solution of the foreigners issue and the maintenance of law and order. Gogoi allocated himself the ministries of home, administration reforms, public relations, khadi and village industries, rural development, public works, tourism and all other departments not allocated.[5]

During his tenure, he gave more emphasis on the implementation of National Rural Employment Scheme. He also emphasised the 20 point programmes launched by Indira Gandhi.[14]

On 17 March 1982 a Motion of No Confidence was moved against the 65-day-old ministry of Gogoi. The motion was moved against Gogoi jointly by Sarat Chandra Singha, Golap Borbora, Hemen Das, Promode Gogoi, Zainal Abedin, Premadhar Bora and Romesh Mohan Kouli. The speaker admitted the motion and fixed the discussion for 18 March 1982. However, the speaker adjourned the house sine die after he received a message stating that Gogoi tendered in his resignation to the Governor. On 19 March, the President Sanjiva Reddy then issued a proclamation which dissolved the legislative assembly and brought the state under President's rule.[15]

In the 1983 Assam Legislative Assembly election, he was reelected, polling 4905 votes as the Congress candidate in Dibrugarh.[10] He was PWD minister in the Hiteswar Saikia cabinet from 1983 to 1985.[16][17]

In the 1985 Assam Legislative Assembly election, Gogoi received 24100 votes, 44.87% of the total vote and he was reelected in Dibrugarh, defeating his nearest opponent by 4055 votes.[10]

In the 1991 Assam Legislative Assembly election, he received 20278 votes, 42.38% of the total vote. He was reelected and he defeated his nearest opponent by 9070 votes.[10] He was made minister for Planning and Development in the second Hiteswar Saikia ministry on 30 June 1991. On 18 October 1991, Gogoi was given charge of Public Enterprises. On 27 November 1992, he was removed from the Cabinet for alleged anti-party activities.[18] He remained MLA for Dibrugarh until 1996, where he did not get the congress nomination. He instead was the All India Indira Congress (tiwari) candidate but came 4th in the election, losing his seat to Kalyan Kumar Gogoi.[10]