In a significant political development, senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma has been elected as the new chief minister of Assam. The decision was taken during a BJP legislative party meeting in Assam on Sunday. Earlier today, incumbent CM Sarbananda Sonowal submitted his resignation to Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi.
The BJP Legislature Party meeting in Guwahati was attended by Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and party General Secretary Arun Singh. Baijayant Panda, BJP's Assam in-charge was also present during the meeting.
It is to be noted that Sonowal and Sarma had met BJP national chief JP Nadda and other BJP top leaders in Delhi on Saturday. Sources said that Sarma would take oath as chief minister on Monday (May 10).
Sarma is a very popular face in Assam and it was widely speculated that he would replace Sonowal as the next CM of Assam. It is to be noted that Sarma had joined the BJP from the Congress just before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Sonowal belongs to Assam's indigenous Sonowal-Kachari tribals, while Sarma is an Assamese Brahmin who is the convenor of the North East Democratic Alliance.
