Assam's new cabinet to take oath at noon tomorrow, says CM-designate Himanta Biswa Sarma

Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam's chief minister-designate and the convenor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), said on Sunday that the state's new cabinet will take oath at 12 noon on Monday. Sarma was unanimously elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party earlier in the day, paving way for him to become Assam's next chief minister replacing Sarbananda Sonowal.

Union agricultural minister and central observer Narendra Singh Tomar said that Sarma will soon be invited to form the next government in the state.

Sarma's name was proposed by Sonowal and seconded by BJP state party president Ranjeet Kumar Dass and newly-elected Haflong MLA Nandita Garlosa.

Tomar said that the BJP will soon hold a meeting with its alliance partners - the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL).

The AGP legislature party, which also held a meeting on Sunday, announced that it would support the leader elected by the BJP legislature party.

On Saturday, a crucial meeting was chaired in Delhi by BJP chief JP Nadda about the government formation in Assam. Both Sonowal and Sarma were summoned to the national capital and took part in several rounds of the meeting. Both leaders returned to Guwahati late on Saturday night.

Sonowal on Sunday tendered his resignation to Governor Jagdish Chandra Mukhi at the Raj Bhavan. He is likely to be accommodated in the Union cabinet at a later date.

The BJP has stormed back to power in the crucial Northeastern state retaining its hold on the government in the recently concluded assembly election.

Of the 126 assembly seats in Assam, the ruling alliance has secured 75 seats, with BJP winning 60 while its alliance partners AGP got nine seats and UPPL six.

(With inputs from agencies)