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Not keen on contesting Assam polls next year, says Himanta Biswa Sarma
In the past few days, Sarma, who handles the finance, health, education and PWD portfolios in the Sarbananda Sonowal-led government, had been in headlines over news reports on his eligibility for the chief minister’s post.
Assam minister and convenor of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) Himanta Biswa Sarma conveyed on Tuesday that he is not interested in contesting next year’s assembly polls.
In a series of tweets, Sarma, the most influential BJP leader in the northeast by virtue of heading NEDA, the BJP-led alliance of anti-Congress parties in the region, said his ambition was to ensure the party retaining power in Assam in 2021.
“Few people feel I am after some post and position. My only ambition is to see a BJP government with 100 plus seats. In my last few months, I want to work for my state as much as possible to have eternal satisfaction. ‘Janani Janmabhumischa Swargadapi Gariyai’ (Mother and Motherland are superior even to Heaven)” he tweeted.
“As I have indicated on several public platforms that I am not interested in contesting the next assembly election, my role will be limited to contributing whatever I can for my party and for my state. For Assam(‘s) future we need to have a strong nationalist government,” Sarma said in another tweet.
In the past few days, Sarma, who handles the finance, health, education and PWD portfolios in the Sarbananda Sonowal-led government, had been in headlines over news reports on his eligibility for the chief minister’s post.
The issue attracted attention after Pijush Hazarika, minister of state for health, said earlier this month that Sarma has all the “merits” of becoming CM. With the statement creating ripples in state BJP, Sarma said “everyone has eligibility to be the CM”.
Following veteran Congress leader and former CM Tarun Gogoi’s statement on Saturday that BJP could field ex-Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi as CM in 2021, Sarma had told journalists that the party is still undecided on its candidate for the top post in the next polls.
Sarma’s tweets on Tuesday come six days after he told journalists in Guwahati that he was undecided on contesting the 2021 polls and the decision on that will be taken by the BJP and his family.
“There are several speculations on my contesting the 2021 polls. Right now I haven’t thought of it. My present aim is to complete all our government’s pending tasks by March next year,” Sarma said.
“I don’t know if I will contest the next election or not. The decision on that will be taken by my party and family. I am not seeking any post, but am more interested in working for my people and state,” he added.
In recent weeks there have been speculations that the BJP leadership might shift Sarma to New Delhi and accommodate him as a minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet.
In February last year, Sarma had indicated that he would contest the Lok Sabha polls if he gets a ticket. But the BJP high command entrusted him with the responsibility of steering the party’s poll strategy and campaign in all the seven northeastern states.
“As a party we can’t comment on what made Sarma say he is not interested in contesting the next assembly polls. Any decision on whether he will contest the polls or what role he will be given will be taken by the party’s core committee,” said Rupam Goswami, BJP chief spokesperson for Assam.
The BJP has 60 members in the 126-member assembly while its coalition partners Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland Peoples’ Front have 14 and 12 seats, respectively. The BJP has declared that the party along with allies aims to win 100 seats in April 2021, when the assembly polls are held.
