Meet Himanta Biswa Sarma, the one tasked to make lotus bloom again in Assam

In 2019, Sarma was eyeing a more prominent role in national politics, but Amit Shah asked him to serve the BJP in the region

BJP's Assam unit is facing a litmus test this election with questions being posed on whether the saffron party can retain its power after winning for the first time in the region in 2016. Himanta Biswa Sarma's defection was a major factor in the party's victory back then and now he assumes a more important role, to help the party retain power.

Sarma had joined the BJP after quitting the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government in the state just months before the election. Sarma an astute politician and election strategist helped the saffron party win in a state that was traditionally a Congress stronghold and was rewarded with a Cabinet Portfolio. This script seems to have been put to play again in West Bengal with Suvendu Adhikari.

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The 52-year-old quit the Congress government in 2015 over political differences between him and the then chief minister Tarun Gogoi. Till then Sarma was voted into power and re-elected twice from the Jalukbari constituency. He also held Cabinet positions in his time in the Congress government, which he resigned from on July 21, 2014.

He became the convenor of the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) when he joined the BJP and was tasked with guiding the party during the Assam polls. After Assam, he led BJP's Manipur unit to form its first government in the state in 2017.

Sarma, believed to be aiming for a bigger role in the party, said that he would not contest in the polls this time around. However, he was named as a candidate from Jalukbari, a constituency he hasn't lost since 2001.

Sarma in 2019 indicated that he wanted to shift base to New Delhi eyeing a more prominent role in national politics, but in what was a commendation of his achievements and contributions to the party, Amit Shah wanted his services to further the party's position in the region as the chief of NEDA, a BJP-led alliance of anti-Congress parties in the region.

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"Central BJP has urged him (Sarma) to fulfil the responsibility of the Minister and NEDA Chairman in Assam and strengthen the party in Assam and Northeast," Amit Shah tweeted back in March 2019.

His role in the state after the polls is under speculation if the party returns to power. The BJP high command has not projected a CM face for the Assembly elections and if rumours are to be believed, Sarma might replace Sarbananda Sonowal as the chief minister of the state. "At the time of forming the government, the Parliamentary Board will take a decision on the issue," Assam BJP chief Ranjit Dass said.

Like many popular and successful politicians, Himanta Biswa Sarma's political journey started when he was a student. From 1991 to 1992, he was Cotton College Student's Union's General Secretary where he graduated with a master's degree in political science after a law degree. He later obtained a PhD from Gauhati University. He practiced law at Gauhati High Court from 1996 to 2001, till he joined the Congress party and won from Jalukbari constituency.

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Sarma's political acumen has been sharpened over the years with him being popular only in his constituency at the start of his career to now being a key figure for the BJP not only in the region but across the country. There are very few politicians from the region who have managed to achieve this feat. His oratory skills are said to have played a key role in the party's victory in 2016 and the win in Manipur a year later.

Just like other politicians, Sarma is not free from controversies. Biswa in November 2020, falsely claimed on social media that supporters of AIUDF politician Ajmal Badruddin had raised slogans in support of Pakistan to welcome him at Silchar airport. However, fact-checkers including Alt News said that the claim was false. Facebook flagged the post as misinformation and barred him from sharing the post on the platform. Guwahati Police also registered an FIR against Sarma.