When Tarun Gogoi becomes chief minister of Assam again, it will be the first time since 1972 that a chief minister has held a second term.
Gogoi will create history in the north-eastern state, after a meeting of the Congress legislature party unanimously elected him as the leader. The meeting was chaired by AICC observer Mohsina Kidwai and was attended by Congress leaders Digvijay Singh and Chandan Bagchi.
The decision now awaits the approval of the Congress high command, which is a mere formality.
Senior state Congress leader Dr Bhumidhar Barman proposed Gogoi's name, which was seconded by state Rural Development Minister Ripun Bora and supported by Jibantora Ghatowar
The Congress legislature party members, led by Gogoi, are to meet Governor Ajai Singh on Saturday afternoon and stake claim to form the government with support from 12 MLAs of the ally Bodoland People's Progressive Front (Hagrama faction).
Bagchi said that this apart, six independent MLAs have extended support to the Congress.
A beaming Gogoi, who had maintained all along that he was not hankering for the chief ministerial post, said, "Now there is a bigger responsibility ahead of me."
Gogoi and his supporters will leave for New Delhi on Sunday to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi and seek her opinion in the matter of government formation.
Meanwhile, the BPPF has demanded the post of chief minister and two key cabinet berths.