Have not been approached by BJP to become CM candidate: Ex-CJI Ranjan Gogoi

Guwahati: Ranjan Gogoi, the former Chief Justice of India (CJI), has denied being offered the Chief Ministerial post by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), reports said.

As per reports in various sections of media, Gogoi has stated that he is not a politician and does not have any political aspirations. He also said that he not been approached by anybody with a proposition to become the next CJI of Assam.

Gogoi, who has been lambasted by opposition parties for his acceptance of a Rajya Sabha membership, said that his nomination to the Rajya Sabha is not a step towards formal induction into politics.

The former CJI also claimed that it is "unfortunate" that people do not understand the difference between a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha and a nominee of a political party elected to the House.

This follows after former Assam Congress veteran Tarun Gogoi had said that Ranjan Gogoi might be chosen chief ministerial candidate for the BJP in Assam in next year's assembly polls as he has allegedly toed the saffron party's line in the past.

The 3-time former Chief Minister said that he had heard from "sources" that Ranjan Gogoi's name is there in the list of the BJP's candidates for the chief minister's post. Gogoi further claimed that the former CJI might be projected for the next possible chief ministerial candidate for Assam.

Claiming that the BJP is "happy" with Ranjan Gogoi for the Ram Mandir verdict and which is why he was nominated as a Rajya Sabha MP after his retirement as the CJI.

"Gogoi could have refused to be a Rajya Sabha MP, but his acceptance shows he is interested in active politics," Tarun Gogoi added.

However, the Assam BJP unit has vehemently denied these claims, and termed them as "baseless."

Assam BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass claimed that "there is not one iota of truth in what he (Tarun Gogoi) had said." 

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