Guwahati: Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sarbananda Sonowal, who steered BJP to power for the first time in the Northeast, was on Tuesday sworn-in as the 14th Chief Minister of Assam.
Sonowal along with Himanta Biswa Sarma took oath in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Assam CM Tarun Gogoi.
Watched by PM Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, senior BJP leader LK Advani, party chief ministers and leaders of NDA allies, 54-year-old Sonowal and his ministers were administered the oath of secrecy by Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya at a well attended public function at Khanapara field here. He took his oath in Assamese.
The whole Guwhati city was literally turned into a security fortress for the oath taking ceremony at the Veterinary College, which was attended by over 100 VVIPs including, BJP president Amit Shah, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu, Suresh Prabhu, VK Singh, chief ministers of NDA-ruled states and northeastern states.
Addressing the huge gathering, PM Modi heaped praise on Sonowal saying, “A leader belonging to the tribal community, a leader dedicated to serving society will now be the CM of Assam.”
"I am sure Sonawal ji will serve Assam and work very hard to transform the state and his team will do the same," PM ässerted.
Promising to provide all help for Assam, PM Modi said, "The Central government believes in cooperative federalism. Want to give the states maximum strength & enable them to progress."
"Democracy is about Bhagidari. The Centre and states must walk shoulder to shoulder for development."
"India's development has to be all-round and inclusive. Eastern part of India cannot remain away from the development journey," PM said.
Along with Sonowal, 10 ministers including from alliance partners Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and BPF took their oath of office.
The six from BJP to take oath as ministers were Himanta Biswa Sarma, a party strategist who quit Congress last year, Chandra Mohan Patowary, Ranjit Dutta, Parimal Suklabaidya, Pallab Lochan Das and Naba Kumar Doley.
Assam's newly sworn-in chief minister, Sarbananda Sonowal promised a "poverty-free" state that will serve all sections of the society irrespective of caste, creed and religion.
"We all have to work together. In this election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Bodoland People's Front and Asom Gana Parishad went to the people with a pledge to work for all sections of the society, for Assamese, Bengalis, Rabhas, Marwaris and all others. People have reposed their faith in us," Sonowal said in his maiden speech after being sworn-in as the chief minister.
