Guwahati: Himanta Biswa Sarma was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Assam today. He replaces Sarbanand Sonwal who was the Bharatiya Janta Party’s choice for the last five years.
Sarma was administered the oath of office and secrecy by the state Governor Jagdish Mukhi, in the presence of the BJP national President JP Nadda. Reportedly Sarma’s name was finalised at a meeting in the national capital on Sunday which was chaired by Nadda.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who congratulated Sarma in his tweet, also praised the contribution of Sonowal, stating, “My valued colleague @sarbanandsonwal Ji was at the helm of a pro-people and pro-development administration over the last five years. His contribution towards Assam’s progress and strengthening the party in the state is immense”.
Sarma is a former Congressman who had joined the BJP on 23 August 2015. He is an MLA from Jalukbari constituency in Assam that he has represented since 2001. Till 2015 he had got elected from here as a Congress member. From May 2016 the constituency elected him as a BJP member.
– global bihari bureau
