In Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal, Himanta Biswa Sarma hold separate meets

BJP party leaders said the MLAs are likely to authorise the central leadership to take a call on the chief minister even though Sonowal is said to be a front-runner.

Updated on: May 4, 2021, 05:57:43 IST

By Utpal Parashar, Guwahati

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A day after winning the Assam assembly polls and returning to power, the Bharatiya Janata Party which bagged 60 out of 126 assembly seats on Monday held deliberations with party members on formation of the next government.

Both Himanta Biswa Sarma and Sarbananda Sonowal held separate meetings. (ANI) (HT_PRINT)

Besides BJP, its alliance partners Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United Peoples Party Liberal (UPPL) also held meetings with their party leaders in Guwahati. There’s also speculation on whether chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal will get another term or senior minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will get the post.

BJP had not named a CM candidate before the polls.

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BJP party leaders said the MLAs are likely to authorise the central leadership to take a call on the chief minister even though Sonowal is said to be a front-runner. A meeting of the winners is likely to be held on Tuesday and a resolution to this effect may be passed, a party leader said.

The AGP and UPPL won 9 and 6 seats respectively. Despite projections of winning more than 100 seats, the alliance’s total slipped from 86 five years ago to 75 this time.

Both Sonowal and Sarma held separate meetings. Several newly elected BJP MLAs met Sarma at his official residence here. BJP’s national vice-president and in-charge for Assam Baijayant Jay Panda and state organising secretary Phani Sarma also met the senior minister. Meanwhile, many BJP MLAs also went to meet Sonowal at the state guest house.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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