Ahead of the assembly election in Assam next year, Himanta Biswa Sarma, the BJP's go-to man for the northeast and Assam, has said that he has no intention to contest in assembly elections any more. This statement comes at a time when there are already rumblings and speculation on whether Mr Sarma will be the chief ministerial face of the BJP in state polls or if the party would stick to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
Mr Sarma, 51, is a minister in the Assam government and is the convenor of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).
"As I have already indicated in several public platform that I am not interested in contesting next assembly election, my role will be limited to contribute whatever I can for my party and for my state. For Assam future we need to have a strong nationalist govt (sic)," Mr Sarma said in a series of tweets on Tuesday.
As I have already indicated in several public platform that I am not interested in contesting next assembly election, my role will be limited to contribute whatever I can for my party and for my state. For Assam future we need to have a strong nationalist govt. https://t.co/YRrdFG3y1a
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 25, 2020Last week , former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi claimed that former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi may be the BJP's chief ministerial candidate in Assam. Justice Gogoi, however, has denied this claim of the former Chief Minister.
"In the BJP, we do not see the face of the candidate while giving tickets. There will be change in the candidates in some constituencies. The BJP has its own system of assessment prior to giving a party ticket." Mr Sarma had told reporters last week.
On Tuesday, he wrote on Twitter his this "only ambition is to see a BJP govt with 100+ seats".
"Few people feel that I am after some post and http://position.My only ambition is to see a BJP govt with 100+ seats," he tweeted.
Mr Sarma had earlier said that a survey for prospective candidates for assembly polls next year is likely to start from November and that new faces will be in the fray in a few constituencies. "In seats where there is 100 per cent surety that the party's candidates will win, we are consulted as to out of the three aspirants, whom do you want to give the party ticket. The party's leadership decides on candidates in constituencies which are likely to witness a contest. This is unlike the Congress where everyone can propose names," Mr Sarma had said last week.
Mr Sarma is a four-time MLA since nearly two decades, 2001, from Jalukbari assembly constituency in Guwahati. He represented the seat three times from the Congress before switching over to the BJP and winning from the same constituency, representing the BJP in the last assembly polls in 2016.
Mr Sarma is credited for bringing in regional parties within the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the subsequent formation of the North East Democratic Alliance. He was instrumental in ensuring a decisive victory for the BJP and its allies in the 2016 assembly elections.
The BJP, on its own, won 60 out of the 126 seats in the Assam assembly in 2016.
