Union Ministers don't enjoy independence in Modi Govt: Gogoi

Union Ministers in the Narendra Modi government have no "independence and they have to take permission for every small issue", Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi alleged today.
"These days Union Ministers do not have independence. For every small issue they have to take permission. I was also an Union Minister and I used to enjoy lots of independence. But now the situation has changed completely," Gogoi said at an interactive session where his autobiography 'Turnaround - Leading Assam from the Front' was released.
Giving an example, Gogoi claimed that Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Jitendra Singh told him that even the funds allocated to his Ministry continued to be with the Finance Ministry and he (Singh) has to run from pillar to post even for small issues.

Gogoi was Minister for Food Processing Industries in P V Narasimha Rao government.
Gogoi also exuded confidence over winning the Assam Assembly elections saying BJP's "nervousness has been reflected everywhere."
The three-time Chief Minister of Assam said he was "100 per cent confident" that Congress will return to power when after the results of Assembly election will be announced on May 19.

"The BJP and AGP don't have any base in Assam. They are just exploiting people through emotional issues. But emotional issues don't last long. They may be trying to uproot us but we will come back to power," he said.

Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for campaigning for BJP-led alliance's partner Bodoland People's Front, Gogoi said it does not look good when the Prime Minister of the country campaign for a "sub-regional" party.
"They (BPF) is not even a regional party but a sub-regional party. It reflected that the BJP is nervous. I am 100 per cent confident that we will return to power," he said.
Asked about the loss of Congress after the departure of Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had joined the BJP and became one of the key strategist, the 80-year-old Congress veteran said that before joining the saffron party Sarma was a biggest critic of BJP.

"During 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Himanta had said that blood flows in the water pipes of Gujarat," he said.
The book was released by Rajya Sabha member Karan Singh while the session was moderated by journalist Shekhar Gupta.