Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya on Sunday appointed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Himanta Biswa Sarma as the state’s new chief minister, with the swearing-in ceremony scheduled to take place on May 12.
The development comes hours after Sarma, who was unanimously elected leader of the BJP-led NDA legislative party, met the Lok Bhawan governor and demanded formation of the next government.
“In exercise of the powers conferred on him under Clause (1) of Article 164 of the Constitution of India, the Governor of the State of Assam has pleased to appoint Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma as the Chief Minister of the State of Assam,” a notification issued by the Assam Parliamentary Affairs Department said.
She added that Sarma will take oath at 11.40 am on May 12 at Khanapara Veterinary College Square in Guwahati.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, several other Union ministers, chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of states ruled by the BJP and NDA are expected to attend the event. Many industrialists, artists and intellectuals are also expected to attend the event.
The BJP won 82 of the 126 seats in the recently concluded elections, securing a clear majority on its own, while its allies, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), won 10 seats each, taking the NDA’s total to 102 seats.
Earlier in the day, all 82 elected BJP legislators appointed Sarma as the party’s legislative caucus leader in a meeting held at the BJP’s state head office in Guwahati in the presence of Union Minister JP Nadda, the central observer overseeing the process, and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, the joint observer. Later in the day, during another meeting at the same place, all 20 MLAs of the AGP and BPF also named Sarma as their choice for the post of chief minister.
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After the process, Nadda told the media: “The process of electing a new leader of the legislative party is now complete. We received proposals from eight members of the BJP and one each from the AGP and BPF on Sarma’s name, which were supported by others. Accordingly, I formally announced his (Sarma) name as the leader of the BJP and NDA allies.”
After being selected as leader of allies BJP and NDA, Sarma, accompanied by Nadda, Saini and AGP and BPF leaders, met Governor Acharya at Lok Bhawan and demanded formation of the next government.
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