GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday submitted his resignation to Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, thus clearing the decks for the formation of the new government.
The governor asked Sarma to continue as the caretaker CM till the formation of the new government. He also accepted Sarma’s request to dissolve the present 15th Assam Legislative Assembly, an official statement said.
After meeting the governor, Sarma told reporters that the swearing-in would take place after May 11, following the election of the BJP Legislature Party leader.
The BJP Parliamentary Board on Tuesday appointed J P Nadda as the central observer for the election of the Legislature Party leader. Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini has been appointed as the central co-observer for the process.
“The BJP Legislature Party meeting will be held in the presence of Nadda Ji and Saini Ji. It’ll decide the leader. After that there will be an NDA meeting where a proposal will be taken to support the BJP Legislature Party leader,” Sarma explained.
He added that after this process, the three NDA parties—BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF)—would meet the governor, and the latter would invite the elected leader to form the government.
“The BJP Legislature Party meeting will be held on or before May 11. We will get to know the date from the office of Nadda Ji today or tomorrow,” Sarma further stated.
PM Narendra Modi is likely to attend the oath-taking ceremony.
The NDA had swept the polls, winning 102 of 126 seats. The BJP alone had bagged 82 seats, while allies AGP and BPF won 10 seats each. The Opposition parties won 24 seats.
The Opposition won 24 seats—19 by Congress, two by ally Raijor Dal, two by AIUDF and one by Trinamool.