Himanta Biswa Sarma set for second term as Assam chief minister

Following his election as the leader of the BJP-led NDA in the Assam assembly, Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Sunday (May 10), along with leaders of the NDA, met Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya and staked claim to form the government in the state.

Union Minister JP Nadda and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, appointed as BJP's central observer and co-observer, respectively, also went to Lok Bhavan along with Sarma and other NDA leaders, an official said.

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"I have been elected as the BJP legislative party leader. The NDA parties - BPF and AGP - also elected me as their leader," Sarma said, while reading out the letter submitted to the Governor. "I have the support of 102 MLAs of the NDA. I have the signature of all of them," he added.

BJP’s third term

The new government will take oath on May 12 at the Khanapara veterinary college. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP national president Nitin Nabin and other senior leaders will be present.

Sarma, who became chief minister in 2021, is set to make history by becoming the only non-Congress CM to assume office for two successive terms.

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This will be the third successive NDA government in Assam, with the saffron party-led administration first assuming power in 2016, which was headed by Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

NDA’s support

Eight BJP legislators, including ministers in the outgoing government – Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Ajanta Neog, Ashok Singhal and Pijush Hazarika – proposed the name of Sarma as its legislature party leader, Nadda said.

The NDA had secured a two-thirds majority in the assembly polls, winning its highest-ever 102 seats. The BJP bagged 82 seats, while its allies AGP and BPF won 10 each, in the 126-member House.

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AGP chief Atul Bora and BPF leader Rihon Daimari submitted letters of support of their respective parties to the Governor.

Governance agenda

Nadda lauded the efforts of Sarma's government in rolling out various schemes and policies of the Centre in Assam.

"In the next five years, the PM will introduce various schemes, which will be implemented in Assam by Himanta Biswa Sarma. We will have a government which is proactive, responsive, accountable and report card-driven," he added.

He asserted that the next government will work with more vigour for the welfare of all sections.

(With agency inputs)