NDA leaders to meet Assam Governor over government formation

Leaders of the BJP-led NDA will meet Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya on Sunday to take forward the process of government formation after the alliance secured a decisive victory in the Assembly elections. The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for May 12

Guwahati: Leaders of the BJP-led NDA are set to meet Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya on Sunday morning to take forward the process of formation of the next government in the northeastern state, officials said.

The meeting with the Governor in this regard is scheduled at the Lok Bhawan around 11.15 a.m., they said.

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“Matters pertaining to the formation of the new government will be discussed,” an official said.

The NDA, which also comprises the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) in Assam, is expected to stake claim to form the government.

It had swept to a third successive term in the state with a two-thirds majority in the Assembly polls. The BJP secured 82 seats, while its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) won 10 each in the 126-member House.

Prior to the meeting with the Governor, the legislature parties of the BJP and its allies will meet here at 9 a.m., a spokesperson for the saffron party said.

“The MLAs of the party will meet at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhawan on Sunday morning and elect the new leader of the legislature party. Union Minister J P Nadda and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini will be present as central observer and co-observer, respectively,” he said.

Nadda and Saini reached Guwahati on Saturday evening.

The spokesperson said a meeting of the legislature parties of the NDA partners will be held at the same venue after the meeting of the BJP MLAs.

The AGP, which had already held a meeting of its newly elected MLAs, proposed the name of Himanta Biswa Sarma for the position of Chief Minister.

Sarma had said on Friday that after the BJP leader is elected, it will be ratified by the AGP and BPF, following which the new leader will meet the Governor to stake claim to form the government.

The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for May 12 at 11 a.m. in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he had said.

Sarma had on Wednesday tendered his resignation to the Governor, who asked him to continue as the head of the caretaker government.