By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 12: It was a show of bonhomie as all chief ministers from the Northeast attended Himanta Biswa Sarma’s swearing-in as the chief minister of Assam for a second consecutive term on Tuesday.
The grand ceremony, held at the Veterinary College ground in Khanapara area of Guwahati, also witnessed the participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior central ministers, NDA leaders, and chief ministers of several other states.
Observers viewed the collective presence of the chief ministers from the Northeast, along with their supportive messaging, as a sign of increasing regional political alignment and the consolidation of BJP-led NDA across the region.
According to them, it also reflects Assam’s growing emergence as the political centre of the BJP’s regional strategy and underlines Sarma’s rising influence beyond his home state.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma described Sarma as his “brother” and said he was glad to see him take oath as the Assam Chief Minister for a second consecutive term.
The two have often shared platforms on issues concerning regional development, connectivity, tourism, investment and cooperation.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio congratulated Sarma and his council of ministers, and wished them a successful tenure marked by peace, progress and prosperity.
Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh said it was an honour to attend the ceremony. He stated that the electoral mandate in Assam reflected people’s faith in development, governance and leadership under Modi.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said he was hopeful that under Modi’s leadership and the new government in Assam, the pace of development across the Northeast would accelerate further.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said Assam was witnessing unprecedented development, peace and progress under Sarma’s leadership and people had once again placed their faith in the BJP-led double engine government.
Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang described the formation of the BJP-led government in Assam as the beginning of a renewed phase of development, governance and inclusive growth.
Observers said the statements made by the chief ministers point towards deeper regional coordination among NDA and BJP-backed governments in the Northeast, particularly on infrastructure, economic corridors, tourism, trade, border connectivity and security cooperation.
They noted that the repeated references to development, peace, connectivity and regional progress in the congratulatory messages indicate a coordinated political narrative being projected across the Northeast under the BJP-led alliance framework.
Sarma, considered a key strategist of the BJP in the Northeast, has played a major role over the years in expanding the party’s organisational strength and alliance network across the region. Analysts believe that his second term is likely to further strengthen the BJP’s political influence.
Sarma’s swearing-in marked the third consecutive term for the NDA in Assam. It secured 102 of the 126 seats this election, with the BJP alone accounting for 82 seats.
