Who will be next Assam CM? Announcement likely on Sunday after legislature party meeting

GUWAHATI: The BJP is likely to announce the name of the next Assam chief minister on Sunday after a meeting of the legislature party in Guwahati.

While leaving the residence of party national president JP Nadda in New Delhi on Saturday, Himanta Biswa Sarma asked journalists to wait till the legislature party meeting.

“Don’t ask me any question. The BJP (Assam) Legislature Party is likely to meet in Guwahati tomorrow. You will get the answers to all (your) questions there,” he said before hastily leaving the place.

Initially, the waiting scribes had approached the car of Sarbananda Sonowal but he did not come out. Sarma’s car was behind Sonowal’s car. The BJP strongman came out and made the statement without being approached.

Called by the central leaders, the duo had left Guwahati in a chartered flight on Saturday morning. They were accompanied by BJP MLAs Taranga Gogoi and Bimal Bora.

BJP central leaders including Shah, BL Santhosh, Narendra Singh Tomar, Baijayant Panda besides Nadda held three rounds of meetings with Sonowal and Sarma. First, the meeting was with Sarma and then with Sonowal. The third meeting was with both.

It is felt that the BJP central leadership has already made the decision and it will be conveyed to the party MLAs during the legislature party meeting. Two central observers are likely to be present at the legislature party meeting.

They will accompany the two BJP biggies when they return to Guwahati on Saturday evening on the same chartered flight.

Clearly, there are two BJP factions in Assam. MLAs loyal to Sarma met him on Monday after the declaration of results of elections on Sunday. They met him again on Friday.