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Tuesday, January 13, 2026
TopicHimanta Biswa Sarma

Topic: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Himanta Biswa Sarma was sworn in as Assam Chief Minister in May 2021. Till 2015, Sarma was a part of the Congress and a young and ambitious leader considered close to then CM Tarun Gogoi. In 2011, Sarma manged the election campaign for the Congress, and helped it win an unprecedented 79 seats in the 126-member Assam assembly. However, with Tarun Gogoi projecting his son Gaurav as the face of Assam’s Congress leadership, he quit.

In 2015, Sarma joined the BJP and quickly rose to prominence becoming finance minister in the Sarbananda Sonowal government, then convener of the North East Development Alliance (NEDA). He has been credited as the man behind the BJP’s increased foothold in the Northeast.

As Assam Chief Minister, Sarma — though an ‘outsider — has steered many policies seemingly aligned with the Sangh agenda, including the passage of the Assam Cattle Preservation (Amendment) Act, asking for the reverification of the National Register of Citizens and carrying out demolition drives to evict “illegal encroachers”.

Meghalaya university in eye of ‘forest land grab’ row: Himanta cried ‘flood jihad’, but experts in doubt

Akanksha Mishra -
A govt-appointed committee says Meghalaya’s University of Science and Technology was built on forest land without proper permission, causing massive flooding in Assam.

Beef, borders & bigotry—BJP Assam’s ‘infiltrator’ politics is back, now in AI wrapping

Neelam Pandey -
Assam BJP election ad campaign 'Assam without BJP' shows Muslims overcrowding the Guwahati airport & stadium, among other places. Assembly polls are due in 2026.

Hindutva groups storm Constitution Club, disrupt discussion on eviction drives in Assam

Heena Fatima -
Civil society activists Harsh Mander, Prashant Bhushan & Syeda Hameed, among others, were part of discussion on eviction drives carried out by Assam govt over past two months.

Bihar voter list revision is not anti-democratic—India can’t let illegals influence polls

R Jagannathan -
Since all non-NDA Opposition parties seem united in demanding a cancellation of Bihar’s SIR, it’s safe to assume they fear their own vote bank stands to lose the most.

‘Lost home, at least give him justice’—kin of man killed in clash with cops after Assam eviction drive

Zenaira Bakhsh -
Clashes erupted after those affected by eviction drive in Paikan Reserve Forest area confronted police ‘digging up road’. CM Sarma says ‘one encroacher’ died in police firing.

Assam, Meghalaya to sign MoU to settle decades-old border dispute, says CM Himanta

ANI -
The chief minister said the MoU would allow governance to ‘shine’ in ‘once grey areas’ and many disputed areas have been earmarked for erecting boundary pillars.

Will deport ‘foreigners’ even if their name is listed in NRC, says Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

PTI -
A large number of people have been picked up across Assam on suspicion of being ‘doubtful citizens’, some of them were ‘pushed back’ to Bangladesh.

‘C-grade drama’—Gogoi addresses Himanta’s barbs about 2013 visit to Pakistan, Assam CM doubles down

Sourav Roy Barman -
The new Assam Congress chief said Himanta’s allegations came as a blessing in disguise for him as it had raised his profile in the poll-bound state.

In naming Gaurav Gogoi as its state chief, Congress rolls the dice in Himanta’s Assam

Sourav Roy Barman -
Sarma has launched near-daily tirade against Gaurav, alleging his wife has ties with Pak govt. Some Cong officer-bearers say Sarma's constant targeting is clear indicator of Gogoi's 'political relevance'.

Assam panchayat polls: How BJP recovered lost ground & stumped Congress in stronghold Jorhat

Shanker Arnimesh -
BJP alliance wins 76 percent of Zila Parishad seats in Assam and Congress 18 percent as it also fails to secure even a single seat in Gaurav Gogoi's LS constituency of Jorhat.
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