BJP SUMMONS SONOWAL, SARMA AS UNCERTAINTY OVER ASSAM CM CONTINUES
Amid uncertainty over the new chief minister in Assam, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) top leadership in New Delhi on Friday summoned incumbent CM Sarbananda Sonowal and senior minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, both claimants for the top post, for meetings, people familiar with the developments said.
The two leaders are scheduled to leave for the national capital on a chartered flight early on Saturday and participate in meetings with senior leaders, they added.
The people cited above also said that the name of the next chief minister could be announced on Sunday, and the oath-taking ceremony be held on Monday.
In some states, where elections took place simultaneously, the new CMs have already assumed office. In Assam, however, the BJP leadership in Delhi is yet to decide between Sonowal and Sarma for the top post.
“Government formation will happen in due course. Right now, all our focus is on controlling the spread of Covid19 across the state and saving lives,” Sonowal said on Friday, while taking stock of facilities to tackle the disease.
“BJP got a clear and decisive mandate, but still it hasn’t been able to form a government. Especially at a time when the state is going through a difficult time, critical decisions like dates of board examinations and handling of the Covid-19 spike shouldn’t be left to an ad-hoc government,” Congress Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi said.