Guwahati, May 12: Widely credited with the BJP’s rise across the northeast, Himanta Biswa Sarma’s swearing-in as the chief minister of Assam for a second consecutive term indicates not only continuity in leadership but also the party’s growing political entrenchment in the region.
Despite strong criticism by the Congress and a series of allegations against his wife, Sarma remained unfazed and helped the BJP achieve a dominant position in Assam, reshaping the region’s political landscape in favour of the ruling NDA.
The 57-year-old leader vowed to continue the state’s development journey, stating that his first tenure as CM was “just a trailer and the movie will unfold in the second term”.
Despite his development initiatives, rolling out welfare schemes and the focus on safeguarding the land rights of indigenous communities, his first term had also been marked by controversial measures and rhetoric, particularly targeting Bengali-speaking Muslims of Bangladeshi descent.
Actions like eviction drives on alleged encroached land, a crackdown on child marriage, moves against polygamy, enforcement of the Cattle Protection Act, and closure of government-run madrasas have drawn criticism from opposition parties, which accuse him of deepening social polarisation.
He remained defiant through controversies, though a row involving allegations by Congress leader Pawan Khera against his wife led to a sharp exchange that even drew mention in a Supreme Court order granting relief to Khera.
Opposition parties, especially the Congress, have also repeatedly alleged corruption during his tenure and questioned the business dealings of his wife, but all these charges were denied by the chief minister.
Once regarded as the most influential politician in the northeast, Sarma emerged as a key BJP campaigner and was instrumental in the party’s emphatic victory with 82 seats of the 126-member assembly.
Political analysts, however, have criticised his rhetoric as divisive and unbecoming of a constitutional office-holder.
After losing his electoral debut in 1996, Sarma has represented Jalukbari continuously since 2001, winning as both a Congress and BJP candidate. A minister in successive governments since 2001, he earned a reputation for administrative effectiveness and political strategy.
Mentored by former Congress chief ministers Hiteswar Saikia and Tarun Gogoi, Sarma rose steadily within the party before differences with Gogoi led to his exit in 2015.
The BJP quickly inducted him, leveraging his influence to strengthen its presence in the northeast.
As convenor of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), he played a pivotal role in bringing all eight northeastern states under the NDA’s ambit, either through BJP governments or allied partners.
Sarma began his political journey during the anti-foreigner Assam Agitation of the 1980s, initially working with All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) leaders such as Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and Bhrigu Kumar Phukan before entering mainstream politics.
He became a minister under Tarun Gogoi’s leadership in 2001. Gogoi, impressed with Sarma’s political skills, appointed him as minister of state for agriculture, planning and development and later during the same term, gave him additional responsibilities.
The Congress, facing an anti-incumbency wave in 2011, depended heavily on Sarma’s skills in strategy and managed to come to power for the third time in a row. During this term, a rift developed between Sarma and Gogoi’s son Gaurav.
Sarma was sidelined within the Congress, and he resigned from the ministry, the assembly and subsequently from the party in 2015, before joining the BJP.
He was instrumental, along with Sarbananda Sonowal, in forming the saffron party’s first government in Assam in 2016. He held key portfolios including finance, health, education and public works before succeeding Sonowal as chief minister in 2021.
Born in Jorhat to noted Assamese poet and novelist Kailash Nath Sarma and literary activist Mrinalini Devi, he earned a master’s degree in political science in 1992 and also a PhD in the same subject.
Sarma obtained an LL.B degree in 1995 and practised at the Gauhati High Court for five years before entering politics in 2001. He has two children, a son and a daughter.(PTI)
