NDA submits support of 102 MLAs to Assam Governor

Himanta Biswa Sarma staked claim to form the next NDA government in Assam after the alliance secured 102 seats. Supported by BJP, AGP and BPF legislators, Sarma is set to become Assam’s first non-Congress chief minister to serve consecutive terms

Guwahati: Leaders of the NDA on Sunday met Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, and staked claim to form the government in the state led by Chief Minister-elect Himanta Biswa Sarma. This will be the third successive NDA government in Assam, with the saffron party-led administration first assuming power in 2016, which was headed by Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Sarma, who became chief minister in 2021, is set to make history by becoming the only non-Congress CM to assume office for two successive terms.

Union Minister J P Nadda and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, appointed as BJP’s central observer and co-observer, respectively, also went to Lok Bhavan along with Sarma and other NDA leaders, an official said.

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“The NDA leaders submitted their claim to form the government. The Governor has received their application, signed by all the three constituent parties,” he said. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) also comprises the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) in Assam.

“I have been elected as the BJP legislative party leader. The NDA parties – BPF and AGP – also elected me as their leader,” Sarma said, while reading out the letter submitted to the Governor. “I have the support of 102 MLAs of the NDA. I have the signature of all of them,” he added.

AGP chief Atul Bora and BPF leader Rihon Daimari submitted letters of support of their respective parties to the Governor. Earlier in the day, Sarma was elected as the leader of the BJP-led NDA in the Assam assembly. The NDA had secured a two-thirds majority in the assembly polls, winning its highest-ever 102 seats.

The BJP bagged 82 seats, while its allies AGP and BPF won 10 each, in the 126-member House. Speaking to reporters outside the Lok Bhavan, Nadda thanked the people of Assam for the historic mandate in the assembly elections.

“The result is a testimony of the endorsement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies. Assam is progressing with the PM’s policy of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas’, which has been implemented on the ground by Himanta Biswa Sarma,” he said. Nadda also lauded the efforts of Sarma’s government in rolling out various schemes and policies of the Centre in Assam.

“We have submitted the support of 102 MLAs to the Governor. We hope that after proper verification, he will invite Himanta Biswa Sarma to form the government,” the former BJP president said. Nadda said that during the oath-taking ceremony on May 12, the PM, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP national president Nitin Nabin and other senior leaders will be present.

“In the next five years, the PM will introduce various schemes, which will be implemented in Assam by Himanta Biswa Sarma. We will have a government which is proactive, responsive, accountable and report card-driven,” he added.