New Delhi, May 1: As the results of the assembly elections are set to be announced, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is hoping for more than just victory. His goal is to break the barrier of 60 seats and secure a full majority for the BJP on its own for the first time.
When the BJP came to power in Assam in 2016, it formed the government with the support of two main allies: the Assam Gana Parishad and the Bodoland People’s Front. In the 126-member assembly, the BJP won 60 out of the 89 seats contested in alliance with its partners, garnering nearly 29.51% of the total votes. This was a significant increase compared to the five seats it had previously won.
Meanwhile, the Assam Gana Parishad contested 30 seats and won 14, achieving a vote share of about 8.14%. The Bodoland People’s Front fielded candidates in 13 seats, winning all but one. The Congress party was ousted from power, having contested 122 seats but only managing to secure 26, with a vote share of 30.96%.
In 2021, the BJP fell slightly short of a majority again, winning 60 seats. However, this time its vote share increased to 33.21%. The Assam Gana Parishad won only nine out of 29 contested seats.
The United People’s Party Liberal, which did not win any seats in 2016 while allied with Congress, managed to secure six seats this time by partnering with the BJP.
Sarbananda Sonowal, the first Chief Minister from the BJP in Assam, was initially chosen to lead the government but was later called to the center and included in the Union Cabinet. Himanta Biswa Sarma became Chief Minister in May 2021 and has successfully led the Assam government and the North-East Democratic Alliance across seven northeastern states.
A notable aspect of his tenure is the significant ideological shift he has made. In 2015, he left Congress citing two main reasons: disputes over leadership and succession involving ‘family-centric’ figures at the top of the party. He criticizes Congress for not prioritizing Assamese identity and regional interests.
Sarma emerged as a powerful strategist within the Assam Congress and anticipated becoming Chief Minister after Tarun Gogoi. He claims that most Congress legislators at the time wanted him as the next head of government, but the central leadership was not willing to promote him, favoring family-centric leadership instead.
After joining the BJP, he became one of the key strategists for the party in the Northeast. He asserts that the BJP’s emphasis on “Nation First” and strong security for border states aligns more closely with his vision for Assam.
He has successfully highlighted the issue of illegal immigration, which has raised concerns among the local population regarding Bangladeshi infiltration. There have been several clashes and even riots between locals and Bengali-speaking Muslims.
According to the 2011 census, Assam has 61.50% Hindus and 34.22% Muslims, with some claiming that the latter figure has significantly increased. Sarma has used this divide to strengthen the North-East Democratic Alliance, particularly in Assam, where he has referred to Muslims as ‘Miya,’ a term that is generally considered respectful.
Despite facing accusations of polarization, Sarma publicly presents “peace, harmony, and development” as the three main achievements of his four-year tenure. He has established himself as a decisive and development-oriented leader, overseeing infrastructure expansion, digital governance reforms, and social welfare initiatives.
Recent reports of potential changes in the Chief Minister’s position seem to be based on hypothetical scenarios of dissatisfaction with the current government. So far, there is no evidence suggesting that the BJP’s top leadership has internally chosen an alternative or formally indicated plans for a change. It remains to be seen what decisions the party’s central leadership will make following the election results announced on Monday.
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My name is Himanshu Tiwari. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including TECHNOLOGY, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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