Himanta Biswa Sarma to take oath as Assam chief minister on May 12

ASsam’s regulator Lakshman Prasad Acharya on sun ordained Bharatiya Janata company (BJP) leader Himanta Biswa Sarma as the next chief government minister (CM) of the state, with the swearing-in ceremony scheduled on May 12.The development comes hours after Sarma, being unanimously elected leader of the BJP-led NDA’s legislature party, met the governor at Lok Bhawan and staked claim to form the next government.A notification issued by the parliamentary affairs department of Assam stated: “In exercise of the powers vested on him under Clause (1) of the Article 164 of the Constitution of India, the Governor of Assam is pleased to appoint of Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma as the chief minister of Assam.”It added that Sarma will be sworn in at 11.40 am on May 12 at the Veterinary College Field at Khanapara in Guwahati.ALSO READ | The Himanta factor behind BJP’s imminent victory in AssamThe ceremony is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, several other Union ministers, and chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of BJP- and NDA-ruled states. Several industrialists, artists and intellectuals are also expected to attend the event.The BJP won 82 of the 126 seats in the recently concluded election, securing a clear majority on its own, while its allies, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF), won 10 seats each, taking the NDA’s total to 102 MLAs.Earlier in the day, all 82 elected legislators of the BJP named Sarma as the leader of the party’s legislature party at a meeting held at the BJP state head office in Guwahati in the presence of Union minister JP Nadda, the central observer to oversee the process, and Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, the co-observer. Later in the day, during another meeting at the same venue, all 20 MLAs of the AGP and BPF also named Sarma as their choice for the CM’s post.ALSO READ | What explains the BJP’s Assam victory?After the process, Nadda told the media, “The process to elect a new legislature party leader is now complete. We received proposals from eight BJP MLAs and one each from AGP and BPF on Sarma’s name, which was seconded by others. Based on that, I officially announce his (Sarma’s) name as the leader of the BJP and NDA allies.”After his selection as the leader of the BJP and NDA allies, Sarma, accompanied by Nadda, Saini and leaders of the AGP and BPF, met governor Acharya at Lok Bhawan and staked claim to form the next government.In an X post, Sarma said: “BJP is grateful for the people’s blessings. We will be at the forefront of pro-people governance & facilitating legislation that shall unleash the full potential of Assam. Met Hon’ble Governor Shri Lakshman Prasad Acharya ji and staked claim to form the next government.”