Thursday, March 20, 2025

Dilip Saikia takes charge as Assam BJP chief

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GUWAHATI, Jan. 17: Lok Sabha MP from Darrang-Udalguri constituency and BJP national general secretary Dilip Saikia on Friday took charge as the president of Assam BJP after he was elected unopposed to the post.

Saikia, the sole nominee for the position, took over the reins of the state unit of the party from Bhabesh Kalita.

Notably, Saikia, 51, has held various positions in the BJP and its youth wing, and was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 2019.

With his experience and expertise, Saikia is expected to play a key role as the state BJP chief in strengthening the party’s position in Assam, ahead of the Assembly elections in 2026.

After assuming charge as the Assam BJP president, Saikia said his primary goal would be to strengthen the party and enhance the party’s chances of electoral success in the coming years.

Earlier, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the returning officer for the election, formally handed over the official letter of appointment to Saikia at the state BJP headquarters here in the presence of senior party leaders, including Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while speaking on the occasion, said we have entrusted the responsibility to Saikia to ensure that the party triumphs for the third time in the Assembly elections next year.

“We are confident that the BJP alone will have more than 75 MLAs during Saikia’s tenure and together with our alliance partners, we will strive to achieve victories in over 100 Assembly constituencies in the 2026 Assembly elections,” Sarma said.

The chief minister, while taking a dig at the Opposition Congress, said, “The BJP, unlike the Congress who only recognises people who are from affluent backgrounds, allows party cadres from humble backgrounds to take charge of responsible posts, such as the president of a party, and make a difference. Saikia has come from a humble background to be eligible for the post of president of the state BJP through hard work and sincerity.”

The chief minister also praised former state BJP president, Bhabesh Kalita, for the electoral success. “Under Kalita’s tenure, the party, along with the alliance members, could secure all five seats in the by-election. For the first time in 25 years, BJP could defeat Congress in Samaguri constituency. Earlier, in the Lok Sabha elections last year, the party under Kalita, was able to secure 11 parliamentary constituencies in Assam,” Sarma said.

On the change of state party leadership, Sarma said Kalita had expressed his inclination to contest the elections, and therefore did not want to be in the race of presidentship of the state BJP unit for the second time.

“I had asked Kalita and he said that since he wished to contest the elections, his name should not be nominated for the state BJP president’s post for a second time,” the chief minister said.

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