Himanta to be Assam CM, swearing in on May 12
What's the story
Himanta Biswa Sarma has been elected as the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Legislature Party and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Legislature Party in Assam. The announcement was made by Union Minister JP Nadda after a meeting of newly elected NDA legislators in Guwahati. Nadda said eight resolutions proposing Sarma's name were moved by senior party leaders, including Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Biswajit Daimary, Ajanta Neog, Rameswar Teli, Rajdeep Roy, Ashok Singhal, Pijush Hazarika, and Chakradhar Gogoi.
Oath-taking ceremony
Sarma to take oath as CM on May 12
Sarma will take oath as the Chief Minister of Assam on May 12. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for blessing the BJP with a third consecutive term in Assam. "I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister. The people have blessed us, and we will carry out development work over the next five years," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
Election results
BJP won 82 seats, Congress only 19
The BJP-led NDA had won a landslide victory in the recent Assam polls, winning 102 seats in the 126-member Assembly. The BJP alone won 82 seats, while its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) won 10 seats each. The opposition Mitrajoot of the Indian National Congress (INC) managed only 19 seats, while Raijor Dal and Aam Jatiya Party (AJP) secured two and zero seats respectively.
Poll review
Congress's Gaurav Gogoi reacts to poll results
Meanwhile, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi has expressed disappointment with the poll results, saying, "The results of the recent Assam Assembly polls are extremely disappointing." He took full responsibility for the outcome and said an internal review process has been started. "I have also communicated to the high command, and it is for the high command to decide the future course of action in terms of organizational restructuring, as well as outlining the next few steps..." he added.