Sarbananda Sonowal will be given new responsibility by BJP: Assam CM

Former Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal will be given a new responsibility by the central leadership of the BJP, taking into account his past experience both in the state and at the Centre, his successor Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.

Sarma, however, said he is not aware of the party leadership's plans for Sonowal.

"When Sonowal and I had our last meeting with Naddaji (BJP president J P Nadda), he told us that Himanta will be the chief minister for the next five years while Sonowal will be given a new responsibility.

"I believe the central leadership will take a decision about Sonowal," he said at a press conference here.

Sarma, who replaced Sonowal as the chief minister last month, said this in reply to a question on the speculation that the latter may be inducted into the cabinet of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

He said Sonowal's experience as a former chief minister and a former Union minister will definitely be used by the party.

Sonowal was the Union sports minister in the Modi government from 2014 to 2016, before taking charge as the chief minister of Assam, a post he held from 2016 till last month.

"There are many ways to assign responsibilities," Sarma said, adding that being the prime minister is a responsibility, so is being a chief minister or a central minister or a district president of the party.