Guwahati, May 5: Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday submitted his resignation to Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, initiating the formal process for the formation of a new government after the National Democratic Alliance’s decisive victory in the Assembly elections.
The resignation followed the submission of the official election results to the Governor by the Chief Electoral Officer earlier in the day. The move aligns with constitutional procedure, enabling the transition towards the formation of the next government.
The NDA secured a third consecutive term in the 126-member Assembly, winning 102 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party led the alliance with 82 seats, while its partners — the Asom Gana Parishad and the Bodoland Peoples Front — secured 10 seats each.
Sarma, who was projected as the chief ministerial face of the alliance, is expected to be re-elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party. A meeting of newly elected BJP legislators is likely to be held shortly under the supervision of central observers Jagat Prakash Nadda and Baijayant Panda to formalise the leadership selection.
Following this, the Governor is expected to invite the NDA to form the next government in the state.
On the opposition front, Sarma reiterated that the Indian National Congress, despite securing 19 seats, may fall short of the threshold required for recognition of the Leader of the Opposition. Under existing norms, a minimum of 22 members is required, raising the possibility that the new Assembly may function without a formally recognised LoP.
