BJP has picked Himanta Biswa Sarma as the next CM of Assam. Why central leadership picked Himanta over incumbent Sarbananda Sonowal has no real answer, but the opinion of many is that Sarma's performance in the last 5 years was enough reason to give him the top job in Assam. Within BJP ranks, many were swayed by Sarma’s style of functioning that conveyed an ability to get the work done, be it articulating the party’s stand on contentious issues like CAA and NRC or tapping into local sentiments by pitching Congress’ alliance with Badruddin Ajmal’s AIUDF as a threat to Assamese identity. Many believe Sarma’s closeness to Union home minister Amit Shah tipped the scales in his favour. The leadership could not have been unaware that Sarma, who had chafed at being consigned to the No.2 slot through the five-year term, was getting impatient about securing what he, as well as many others in the party, considered to be his “rightful due”.