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GUWAHATI: Why did BJP’s central leadership pick Himanta Biswa Sarma as Assam’s next CM over incumbent Sarbananda Sonowal? While there might never be an official answer, the consensus opinion is that Sarma s performance over the last five years in government and politics was seen as enough reason to plump for him despite his predecessor’s popularity and clean image.
Within BJP ranks, many were swayed by Sarma’s style of functioning that conveyed an ability to get the work done, be it articulating the party’s stand on contentious issues like CAA and NRC or tapping into local sentiments by pitching Congress’ alliance with Badruddin Ajmal’s AIUDF as a threat to Assamese identity.
Assam’s new CM: Himanta Biswa Sarma’s elevation shows how indispensable he has become to BJP May 10, 2021, 7:35 AM IST
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After days of speculation, Himanta Biswa Sarma has been named as the next CM of Assam, marking a significant change in the state leadership. The decision was taken after both Sarma and incumbent CM Sarbananda Sonowal were called to Delhi for meetings with BJP top brass. After BJP’s stellar performance in Assam polls, where it won an impressive 60 seats and its NDA coalition ended up with 75 out of 126 seats, a debate had gripped the state as to who deserves credit for the victory and who should be at the helm of the state.
Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party created history in the north eastern Indian state of Assam by becoming the first non-Congress party to win two successive terms in the state assembly elections there.
Staving off a spirited fightback from its main challenger Congress, the saffron party, along with its regional allies like Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), won 75 out of the total 126 seats, 11 less than the previous assembly elections five years ago. The Congress-led 10-party alliance including All India United Democratic Front (AIDUF) of perfume baron Badruddin Ajmal, finished runners up with a total of 50 seats this time. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, which did not have AIDUF in it in 2016 but had Left parties, got 26 seats in the 2016 poll.
Assam’s new assembly in 30 charts: Fewer women, more Muslims – and more crorepatis
Assam’s new assembly in 30 charts: Fewer women, more Muslims – and more crorepatis
Is today’s political class in Assam different from the past, in terms of caste, religion, gender and other socio-demographic variables? 5 hours ago Asom Gana Parishad President Atul Bora and his supporters celebrate their party s good showing in the Assam polls on May 2. | PTI
When the Bharatiya Janata Party took power in Assam in 2016, it deeply shaped the politics of that state. In this article, we ask whether the rise of the BJP has brought any changes to the sociological composition of the state assembly. Is today’s political class in Assam different from the past, in terms of caste, religion, gender and other socio-demographic variables?
Raijor Dal, whose president Akhil Gogoi won the recent polls despite being in jail since 2019 December for his alleged role in the anti-CAA unrest, on Tuesday urged India’s Opposition parties to unite to defeat the “communal” BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The party, formally launched in January to fight the recently-concluded Assembly polls, issued the appeal while congratulating Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamul Congress for “decisively defeating” the BJP in the Assembly polls.
Raijor Dal, which could manage to win only one (Akhil Gogoi from Sivasagar LAC) of the 38 seats it contested, said Banerjee led “from the front” and “ensured” that the BJP was defeated.