Guwahati: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stepped up its efforts to form the next government in Assam on Tuesday by appointing Union Minister JP Nadda as the central observer for the election of the legislative party leader. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was named the central co-observer. This development comes as the process for forming the new government gains momentum, with caretaker Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma likely to resign soon.
Meetings with RSS and Allies
On Tuesday morning in Guwahati, caretaker CM Himanta Biswa Sarma met senior functionaries of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) before the first meeting between top-level state BJP leaders and their key regional ally, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), at the BJP state headquarters. Sarma stated that the BJP wants Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new chief minister and council of ministers. Notably, Modi could not attend Sarma's swearing-in in 2021 due to the COVID-19 situation.
Sarma went directly to the RSS's Purbottar Kshetra headquarters at Borbari in Guwahati on Tuesday morning, where the meeting lasted nearly an hour. Sources indicated that the discussion focused on some important winning candidates, their performance over the past five years, and future plans. A political analyst close to the RSS said the meeting revolved around ensuring no dissidence emerges during the next term of the BJP-led government.
After the BJP and National Democratic Alliance's emphatic victory, Sarma appeared upbeat outside the RSS premises. He clicked selfies, greeted locals, waved at supporters, and posed for photographs after coming out of the RSS office.
Talks with AGP and BPF
Later in the day, the AGP leadership reached the state BJP headquarters to speed up talks on forming the next government. The AGP has called a meeting of its newly elected MLAs at the party headquarters on Wednesday. Bodoland People's Front (BPF) president Hagrama Mohilary and AGP president Atul Bora, along with working president Keshab Mahanta, met Sarma and reaffirmed their commitment to continue together in the next government.
AGP president Atul Bora said the party would firmly stand with the BJP, though the choice of ministers would be the chief minister's decision. Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia, after meeting the AGP leadership, said, "Our alliance is an alliance of sensitivity from the core of the heart. That's why people trusted the NDA, and in the third term of the NDA government in Assam, we will work together for equal development of all communities."
"This mandate places a renewed responsibility on the BJP to serve the people of Assam, and with renewed commitment, we will move forward toward building a stronger, more prosperous, and self-reliant Assam," said Mita Nath Bora, Assam BJP spokesperson.
