BJP yet to decide on next Assam chief minister

The indecision allegedly brings to the fore the cold war between two power centres - incumbent Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and health and finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Guwahati: Although three days have passed since the election results, the BJP led alliance in Assam, which have improved its tally to 75 is yet to elect its legislature party leader.

The results of the just concluded Assembly elections in four states and one union territory were declared on May 2.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took oath Wednesday as the new Chief Minister of the state. In Assam, however, the BJP is yet to take a decision on who will be the next Chief Minister of the state which has once again brought to the fore the cold war between two power centres - incumbent Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and health and finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The BJP leadership in Assam has claimed that the party's parliamentary board will announce the Chief Ministerial candidate soon. Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was scheduled to visit the state on Tuesday and hold a meeting with the state leadership but he cancelled his visit for some reasons, adding to the ongoing speculation about a probable change of guard in the state.

Read: Himanta slams Mamata over attack on BJP workers in West Bengal

The BJP's Alliance partners Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United Peoples Party Liberal (UPPL) on Tuesday met at a hotel in Guwahati. Although the leaders of both the parties remained silent on any question about the next Chief Minister of the state, sources said that both the parties have decided to support Himanta Biswa Sarma as the state's next Chief Minister.

BJP's state president Ranjit Kumar Dass has sent Whatsapp messages to all the party leaders asking them not to make any comment on the party's Chief Ministerial candidate.

Will the BJP's parliamentary board clear the name of Sarbananda Sonowal, who was hailed as a "Jatiya Nayak" (national hero) for his role in repealing the IM (DT) act?

Or will they favour the name of Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had unquestionably played a major role in the saffron bloom in India's northeast? The people of the state will have to wait for some more time to get the answer.