BJP's Sarbananda Sonowal to take oath as Assam chief minister today

The stage is set for the swearing-in ceremony of Assam's first-ever Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, on 24 May.

The swearing-in function, to be held at Guwahati's Khanapara field, will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states and Union Cabinet ministers as well as a number of diplomats from SAARC countries.

Along with Sonowal, Himanta Biswa Sarma and 11 other lawmakers are likely to take oath of office. BJP's alliance partners in the Assembly polls, the AGP and the BPF, will also get berths in the Sonowal cabinet.

To prepare for the grand event, Guwahati has been decorated with banners and hoardings of NDA leaders. Over one lakh people are expected to attend the event. Massive security arrangements have been made in the city. CCTV cameras have also been installed everywhere at the venue.

The BJP created history in Assam on 19 May when it won 60 of the 126 assembly seats up for grabs. Its coalition partners - the Asom Gani Parishad (AGP) and the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) secured 14 and 12 seats respectively. All three together secured 86 of the 126 assembly seats.

The victory in Assam means the BJP will now play a decisive role in the politics of the north eastern region, where it had been a marginal political force until now.

The Congress ended up with just 26 seats, feeling the sting of an anti-incumbency wave and popular desire for change.

-- With ANI inputs