Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is likely to become the next chief minister of the state, reported News18.
According to the report, incumbent Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will himself propose Sarma’s name during the legislative party meeting.
Sarbananda Sonowal, who belongs to Assam's indigenous Sonowal-Kachari tribals, and Himanta Biswa Sarma, an Assamese Brahmin who is the convenor of the North East Democratic Alliance, are contenders for the top post of the Assam government.
The BJP Legislature Party in Assam will meet to elect the next Chief Minister of the state. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 11 am and Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar and party General Secretary Arun Singh will be present as central observers. Baijayant Panda, BJP’s Assam in-charge will also be present on the occasion.
A meeting on Saturday was held between senior leaders Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam incumbent Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and BJP chief JP Nadda over who will be the next Chief Minister of Assam.
"BJP Legislative Party meeting may take place in Guwahati tomorrow. Answers to all questions will come out of that meeting," Sarma said after the meeting. Tomar was also the election in charge of Assam.
The BJP has stormed back to power in the crucial Northeastern state retaining its hold on the government. However, it is understood that the party has been facing issues over the selection of the Chief Minister.
In the 2016 Assembly polls, the BJP had projected Sonowal as its chief ministerial candidate and won, forming the first saffron party government in the northeast.
This time, the party has been maintaining that it would decide who would be the next chief minister of Assam after the elections.
BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a comfortable majority in Assam winning 75 seats of the total 126 constituencies. While BJP secured 60 seats, about 33 per cent, its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party, Liberal (UPPL) bagged nine and six seats respectively.
(With inputs from Agencies)
