GUWAHATI: Himanta Biswa Sarma will be sworn in as the Assam Chief Minister for the second straight term on Tuesday, the first by a non-Congress leader in the state.
Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) stalwart Prafulla Kumar Mahanta had also served as the Assam CM twice, though not in consecutive terms. His two terms were from 1985 to 1990 and from 1996 to 2001.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will attend the swearing-in ceremony.
Chief Ministers of 22 NDA-ruled states and Union Territories, BJP leaders, including national president Nitin Nabin, ambassadors of some countries, industrialists and religious leaders will also attend the ceremony.
From states not ruled by NDA, only Mizoram CM Lalduhoma will attend it.
Along with Sarma, a few others are likely to take the oath as ministers. The Assam ministry can have a maximum of 19 members, including the Chief Minister.
Sarma did not disclose the names of those who would be appointed as ministers, stating that he would discuss the matter with Nabin and seek his approval.
“The list of ministers is in my mind. The only thing is that I have to discuss it with my national president for his approval. He is arriving this evening, and I am going to receive him at the airport. I have to go by the party’s general guidance,” Sarma told media persons after inspecting arrangements at Khanapara in Guwahati, where the swearing-in ceremony will be held.
He further stated that the matter would be decided by late Monday night and intimated to the ministerial candidates on Tuesday morning.
This will be the third straight term of the NDA, which comprises the BJP, AGP and Bodoland People’s Front.
The NDA had opened the gateway to the Northeast by winning Assam in 2016 under the leadership of former CM Sarbananda Sonowal of the BJP.
The BJP fought this year's elections on the planks of identity and development.
Consistent with that agenda, Sarma on Monday posted on X, “Assam’s land, identity and future are non-negotiable. After freeing 1.5 lakh bighas of land from encroachment, NDA 3.0 moves ahead with a firm resolve to reclaim 5 lakh more bighas for the people of Assam. For us, Jati (community), Mati (land), and Bheti (foundation) come first."
He also said that the NDA 3.0 government would fuel 'Atmanirbhar Assam' with Rs 5 lakh entrepreneurship support to 10 lakh youth.
"For the last 10 years, the NDA government has worked for the holistic development of Assam’s Cha Shramiks (tea workers), who are the backbone of our 200-year-old tea legacy. In NDA3.0, we will further strengthen the lives and livelihoods of every Cha Shramik with a phased wage increase to ₹500,” he further wrote.