Guwahati (Assam): Uncertainty still prevails over the fate of former Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Sonowal, who had resigned from the top seat last month, and paved the way for Himanta Biswa Sarma to become the next Chief Minister is currently camping in New Delhi since last week after he was summoned by the BJP's top brass.
Although initially, sources in the state BJP said that the former Chief Minister will be accommodated in the Union cabinet during the scheduled reshuffle to this month yet Sonowal may not get a berth in the cabinet due to the changing political equations. Sonowal who had gone to Delhi last Thursday could so far meet only party president JP Nadda, senior BJP leader BL Santosh and observer for Assam Vaijainta Jai Panda. Sources said that Sonowal has not been able to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah so far.
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"Sonowal was summoned by the party top brass and the fact that he has not been able to meet the Prime Minister and Home Minister is significant," said a source in the state BJP. "The party is considering two things for Sonowal--either a berth in the union cabinet or the president of the party's unit in Assam. However, the induction of somebody in the cabinet is always the prerogative of the Prime Minister. Sonowal has contributed immensely towards the saffron party's growth in Assam and the party will definitely take all this into consideration," said a senior BJP leader in Delhi on condition of anonymity.
It may be mentioned here that Lok Sabha MP from Dibrugarh Rameswar Teli had already been accommodated in the Union cabinet. Although a faction of BJP's top brass want Sonowal to lead the party for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, yet Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wants Rajya Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa to lead the party as the president.
With the speculations rife one has to wait to get an answer as to where the former Chief Minister will be rehabilitated--Sansad Bhawan in Delhi or Vajpayee Bhavan in Guwahati.
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