GUWAHATI: Senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has become the first Chief Minister (CM) of Assam in Independent India, who was raised in Guwahati.
Although technically Himanta Biswa Sarma was born on February 1, 1969 in Jorhat to parents Kailash Nath Sarma and Mrinalini Devi, the family later shifted to Guwahati and he was raised in Gandhi Basti, Ulubari. The residents near the Kali Mandir area of Gandhi Basti still recall the vibrant Himanta Biswa Sarma. "He was ten years ahead of his age group and was very focused. Although he was my junior, I could see the proactiveness in him and he always stood out," recalls Prasanta Sarma, a native of Gandhibasti, Guwahati.
Himanta Biswa Sarma started his political journey from Guwahati served as the General Secretary (GS) of Cotton College Student's Union from 1988 to 1992. Later, he completed his Post Graduation in political science from Cotton College, Guwahati in 1992.
"We were in the same Lower Primary school and later did student politics together. I was from Cotton Collegiate and he was from Kamrup Academy. I remember jamming with him with musical instruments," said Bhupen Medhi, a childhood friend of Himanta Biswa Sarma. Medhi further stated, "Whatever he (Himanta Biswa Sarma) wanted to do, he would do try his best to get it done."
Himanta Biswa Sarma will be the first Chief Minister from Guwahati unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the second BJP Chief Minister of all time in Assam after Sarbananda Sonowal. "The Guwahati BJP unit has also stated that Himanta Biswa Sarma is the first from Guwahati BJP to become the CM," Mrigen Sarania, BJP Guwahati City District President.
The earlier Chief Ministers
Before India's Independence, the equivalent to the Chief Ministerial position was called the Premier. In that case, the Premier Sir Muhammad Saadullah was also born at Lakhtokia, Guwahati on May 21, 1885. He originally belonged from Kacharihat, a village near the town of Golaghat. As such, Sarma is the only CM after Independent India to be raised in Guwahati.
Meanwhile, Himanta Biswa Sarma is not the first Guwahati legislator to become the CM. Gopinath Bordoloi had won from the then South Gauhati constituency. After the Independence of India, Mahendra Mohan Choudhury had won from the East Gauhati constituency in 1967, who later served as the chief minister from November 11, 1970, to January 30, 1972. However, the Bharat Ratna Gopinath Bordoloi was born at Raha in Nagaon district on June 6. On the other hand, Mahendra Mohan Choudhury - under whose name the famous MMCH hospital is situated at Panbazar - was born at Nawgaon (near Barpeta) in the undivided Kamrup district. Bishnu Ram Medhi, who served as CM from August 9, 1950, to December 27, 1957, was born in the then undivided Kamrup district at Hajo.
The Guwahati connection
Guwahati was part of the same undivided Kamrup district. In 1983, Barpeta district was split from Kamrup, and Nalbari district was then similarly split off on August 14, 1985. On February 3, 2003, the Kamrup Metropolitan district was formed to cover the urban core of the district out of once Unidivided Kamrup district.
Thus, both Bordoloi and Choudhury were very much Guwahatians as their political and education journey is based in the city, but by the virtue of upbringing they belonged to various places across Assam. Bordoloi was even part of the famous Sonaram High School, Guwahati in 1917 and was elected as the Chairman of Guwahati Municipal Board in 1934.
In comparison to that, Himanta Biswa Sarma will be the first CM in post-Independence India to be raised in the current Kamrup (M) area, which constitutes four constituencies of Gauhati East, Gauhati West, Dispur and Jalukbari. Himanta Biswa Sarma has been the legislator of Jalukbari since 2001, winning it for 5 consecutive terms.
The lower Assam angle
Himanta Biswa Sarma will also be the first CM based from lower Assam since Sarat Chandra Sinha (January 31, 1972- March 12, 1978). Earlier, Bhumidhar Barman from Belsor, Nalbari served as the CM from April 22, 1996, to May 14, 1996 and he didn't complete a full term. Similarly, Anowara Taimur (who was the GS of Barpeta District Mahila Samity) also didn't complete the full term in office and was the Assam CM from December 6, 1980, to June 30, 1981.
