Will Sarbananda Sonowal break ranks with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) if Himanta Biswa Sarma is offered a free pass from the central leadership for Assam’s chief ministership? Today’s meeting at BJP President J.P. Nadda’s place failed to break the deadlock, considering the individual ambitions and aspirations of both leaders.
If sources are to be believed, then it is clear that Himanta is leading the race, and his party would do whatever it can in its capacity to convince him, fearing he might pull the hat from nowhere for fulfilling his desired duty. The Congress may offer him support if he were to persuade and convince his party supporters and legislators.
Neither the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) nor the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) will object to for Himanta’s Congress roots boosting its rank and file. While principally it may sound tough a task as Nadda and Shah, they will do whatever it takes to save their government from falling and collapsing in this region. Either they would pacify Sonowal by offering him a cabinet berth in the Centre, or by assigning to him the ministry of his choice.
Initially, Sonowal may not react and respond too much, but later he might make a selective reading of the case and try to better his political scopes and prospects. I am to understand that if the BJP legislators see Himanta as their leader than their is not much Sonowal can do by being apologetic- weighing his opinions, options, and alternatives at a later interval. For a while, their faith hangs in the balance.