Himanta Biswa Sarma unanimously elected NDA legislature party leader after BJP's historic Assam win, set to take oath as CM on May 12

When the Assam assembly election results came in, they told an unambiguous story. The BJP-led NDA swept 102 of 126 seats — a two-thirds majority that few ruling alliances anywhere in India have managed to replicate in recent years. The BJP alone won 82 seats, crossing the majority mark on its own for the first time in the state's history. Alliance partners Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People's Front contributed 10 seats each, making the NDA's dominance in the House near total.

On Sunday, that mandate translated into a formal political decision. Himanta Biswa Sarma was unanimously elected as the NDA Legislature Party Leader at a meeting of the BJP's legislature party in Guwahati, clearing the last procedural hurdle before his return to the Chief Minister's chair for a second consecutive term.

Eight Proposers, One Name, No Contest

Union Minister J P Nadda, who was present at the legislature party meeting as central observer alongside Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini as co-observer, announced the outcome to waiting mediapersons. Eight BJP legislators formally proposed Sarma's name as legislature party leader. Alliance partners AGP and BPF endorsed the nomination without hesitation, making the election unanimous. There was no alternative name, no dissent, no drama — a reflection of how firmly Sarma has consolidated his position within both the party and the broader NDA alliance in Assam over the past five years.

Governor Meeting to Follow; Claim to Be Staked

Following the legislature party meeting, Sarma and other senior NDA leaders were scheduled to call on Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya at Lok Bhawan to formally stake their claim to government formation. The meeting was expected to set in motion the final constitutional steps before the swearing-in ceremony, with the Governor's invitation to form the government anticipated shortly after.

May 12 Ceremony: PM Modi to Be Chief Guest

The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for May 12, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed as chief guest — a mark of both personal regard for Sarma and the BJP's recognition of Assam as one of its most significant electoral victories this election cycle. Union ministers, chief ministers and deputy chief ministers from BJP-governed states, along with representatives from industry, are expected to make the event one of the larger political gatherings the state has seen in recent years.

Machinery in Motion for a Secure Ceremony

Behind the scenes, the administrative apparatus has been working at full pace. Chief Secretary Ravi Kota chaired a comprehensive review meeting with the Director General of Police to go over security arrangements, traffic management, venue readiness, protocol and inter-departmental coordination ahead of the Prime Minister's visit. Kota said all departments concerned had been directed to maintain the highest level of preparedness to ensure the event unfolds smoothly and in keeping with the significance of the occasion.

A Historic First Tucked Inside a Familiar Victory

While a second consecutive term for Sarma is in itself a significant achievement, the more striking milestone belongs to the BJP as a party. Winning an outright majority in Assam on its own — without needing the seats contributed by AGP or BPF to cross the halfway mark — is something the party had not managed in any of its previous victories in the state. That the alliance still held firm and delivered 102 seats collectively only underlines the scale of what the NDA achieved at the ballot box.

Sarma's swearing-in on May 12 will mark the beginning of what promises to be a politically consequential second chapter — one that arrives with a stronger mandate, a tighter grip on the House, and considerably higher expectations.