BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma, was on Monday sworn-in as the 15th chief minister of Assam by Governor Jagadish Mukhi at the Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati. He also vowed to take the state to greater heights of prosperity. Along with Sarma who is the convenor of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), the NDA’s version in the region, 13 other newly-elected legislators of the saffron party and alliance partners were sworn-in as ministers amid strict Covid-19 protocols. Of the13 ministers who took oath, 10 were from the BJP. They included party president Ranjeet Kumar Dass, ministers of the previous government Chandra Mohan Patowary, Parimal Suklabaidya, Jogen Mohan, Sanjay Kishan and Pijush Hazarika.
Sarma took the oath of office and secrecy in Assamese. After taking the oath, he tweeted, “With blessings and grace of the people of Assam, I take over as chief minister of the state today. Taking Assam to greater heights of prosperity and making it a leading state, pursuing the ideals of the Prime Minister.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah posted tweets to congratulate the 52-year-old new chief minister.
“Humbled and truly grateful to Prime Minister for believing in us.........We shall leave no stone unturned to carry forward your vision of taking Assam, and North East to greater heights. Forever in gratitude,” Sarma said in his reply to Modis message. Sarma’s mother, wife and two children were also present on the occasion.
Four BJP ministers of the previous government led by Sonowal did not find a place in Sarma's ministry. They are Siddhartha Bhattacharya, Naba Doley, Ranjit Dutta and Bhabesh Kalita. The Asom Gana Parishad's Atul Bora and Keshab Mahanta, both ministers in the previous government also took the oath. Another AGP minister in the previous government, Phanibhushan Choudhury, who was elected to the assembly for a record eighth time, did not find a place in the new ministry.
