Guwahati, 12 May (HS): Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday took oath as the Chief Minister of Assam for a second consecutive term. Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya administered the oath of office and secrecy to him. With this, the BJP-led government began its third consecutive term in the state.

Dr Sarma has been elected as MLA consecutively six times from the Jalukbari Assembly constituency and has been representing the seat since 2001. He represented the constituency as a Congress leader in 2001, 2006 and 2011, before shifting to the BJP and winning again in 2016, 2021 and the recently concluded 2026 Assembly elections. Earlier, in 1996, he had lost the Jalukbari seat to AGP leader Bhrigu Kumar Phukan. However, in 2001, he defeated Phukan and began a political rise that continued steadily thereafter.

After passing matriculation from Kamrup Academy in 1985, Dr Sarma enrolled at Cotton College for higher studies. He served as the general secretary of the Cotton College Students’ Union during 1991-92. He completed his graduation in Political Science in 1990 and postgraduation in 1992 from Cotton College. Later, he earned a law degree from the Government Law College in Guwahati and obtained a doctorate degree from Gauhati University. Between 1996 and 2001, he practised as an advocate at the Gauhati High Court.

Dr Sarma was first elected to the Assam Legislative Assembly in 2001 after defeating Bhrigu Kumar Phukan. He retained the seat in 2006 and again in 2011 with a margin of nearly 78,000 votes. Between 2002 and 2014, he handled several important portfolios, including Agriculture, Planning and Development, Finance, Health, Education and Implementation of the Assam Accord. He became Cabinet Minister for Health in 2006 and was additionally given charge of the Education Department in 2011.

Following political differences with former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Dr Sarma resigned from all government posts on July 21, 2014. He later resigned from the Assembly on September 15, 2015. On August 23, 2015, he formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in New Delhi in the presence of senior BJP leader Amit Shah.

In May 2016, Dr Sarma won the Jalukbari seat for the fourth time and was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister in the government led by former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on May 24. On May 10, 2021, he became the 15th Chief Minister of Assam and on Tuesday he took oath once again as the Chief Minister of the state.

Dr Sarma’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma is a noted entrepreneur. The couple has a son, Nandil Biswa Sarma and a daughter, Sukanya Sarma.------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash