Guwahati, May 21 (IANS). Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said the appointment of senior BJP leader Ranjit Kumar Das as the Speaker of the Assam Assembly is a matter of pride for lakhs of grassroots workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Speaking in the Assembly after Das took over as Speaker, CM Sarma recalled the political journey of the veteran BJP leader and lauded his confidence, experience and commitment to democratic values.
The Chief Minister said that when Das was fielded from Sarbhog assembly constituency, this election was not considered an easy contest and new political challenges were emerging every day.
He admitted that if Das had lost the election, he was afraid of taking moral responsibility as he had been shifted from a relatively easy constituency to a more challenging seat. However, Sarma said Das remained confident throughout the election campaign and repeatedly assured him that contrary to the ongoing speculations and political discussions on social media, he would win by a huge margin.
CM Sarma said that many people, including leaders of our own party, often asked whether Ranjit Kumar Das would lose the elections. Both of us were always sure that they would win easily.
The Chief Minister said Das’s confidence was ultimately reflected in the election results as well, when he was re-elected from Sarbhog by a huge margin in the 2026 assembly elections.
He said Das becoming Speaker is not just a personal achievement but a moment of joy for lakhs of BJP workers who come from ordinary families and work tirelessly for the party at the grassroots level.
The CM expressed confidence that Das’s long political experience, his organizational background in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and his deep understanding of parliamentary traditions will help him emerge as a successful and respected speaker.
Along with this, CM Sarma urged Das to maintain impartiality while conducting the proceedings of the House.
He said that we want a speaker who is impartial, who gives the opposition a chance to speak, and who gives priority to the interests of the country and Assam above the interests of the party.
Referring to the ideological principles of the BJP, CM Sarma said the party believes in the principle of ‘nation first, party last’ and Das should govern the House on the basis of this philosophy.
The Chief Minister also said that while a Speaker must remain politically impartial inside the House, Das will remain an important political figure outside the Assembly as the elected representative of the people.
–IANS
DKM/PM