Congratulations pour in for Himanta Biswa Sarma from Congress camp

GUWAHATI: The Congress on Sunday congratulated chief minister designate Himanta Biswa Sarma, expressing their solidarity to make a concerted effort to bridge the gap between the ruling bench and the Opposition to help the state prosper.
The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Ripun Bora, in a tweet, said the Congress is ready to work in tandem with the BJP to make Assam one of the most developed states.
Congratulatory messages poured in from top Congress leaders of the state, who had high hopes from their former colleague. “My heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Dr @himantabiswa on being elected as the 15th Chief Minister of Assam. Hope you will work for the extensive development of the state in the coming days,” tweeted senior Congressman and son of former chief minister late Hiteswar Saikia, who is credited with bringing Himanta to electoral politics in the 1990s.
Himanta, who was the blue-eyed boy of both former CMs Saikia and Tarun Gogoi, rose to prominence during the tenure of the latter. As the most trusted lieutenant of Gogoi, Himanta was given charge of key departments like health and education.
In 2015, Himanta joined the BJP, revolting against the Congress leadership in Assam and succeeded in pulling off a massive victory for the NDA in the 2016 Assam election. The Congress had to bite the dust, after which Gogoi openly ‘accepted the blame’ for allowing Himanta to rise and betray him.
But it was too late for the Grand Old Party. The BJP was installed in power and Himanta became the BJP’s Chanakya in the northeast. Countless number of Congress workers, from the grassroots to the state level, followed in the footsteps of Himanta, further weakening the Congress. It was Himanta, who led marathon rallies till late night into the night to win Assam for the BJP for a second consecutive term.
“Assam is a mini India with people belonging to different tribes, communities and different religions living together. To become a CM of a state like Assam is a great responsibility. I wish Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma the very best in his new responsibility and hope the new CM will be able to lead the state with a humanistic approach and work towards the development of each and every individual in a non-partisan manner,” said Bobbeeta Sharma, chairperson of the media department of the APCC.
The Congress said Himanta, as chief minister, has lots of challenges before him. Opposition parties have been demanding the formation of a new government at the earliest, considering the need to take some decisive steps to combat the deadly second wave of Covid-19. “Apart from the Covid crisis, they need to give the much-needed push to the economy of the state and for this some hard planning is required. Himanta has years of experience as a minister, holding important portfolios during the Congress government under late CM Tarun Gogoi,” the APCC spokesperson said.
The Congress also appreciated the manner in which the outgoing chief minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, graciously handed over charge to Himanta, despite an ‘unusual delay’ in the selection of the new CM. “It speaks volumes about his sense of dignity and statesmanship. It shows that giving up power is not a big thing,” she said on Sonowal’s dignified exit.