Guwahati, May 21 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said the elevation of senior BJP leader Ranjit Kumar Das as the Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly was a matter of pride for lakhs of grassroots workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Speaking on the floor of the Assembly after Das assumed charge as Speaker, CM Sarma recalled the political journey of the veteran BJP leader and praised his confidence, experience and commitment to democratic values.

The Chief Minister said that when Das was fielded from the Sarbhog Assembly constituency, the election was not considered an easy contest and every day posed fresh political challenges.

CM Sarma admitted that he had feared taking “moral responsibility” if Das had lost the election because he was shifted from a relatively comfortable constituency to a more challenging seat. However, Sarma said Das remained confident throughout the campaign and had repeatedly assured him that he would secure victory by a huge margin despite speculation on social media and political discussions suggesting otherwise.

“Many people, including leaders from our own party, used to ask whether Ranjit Kumar Das would lose the election. But both of us were always certain that he would win comfortably,” CM Sarma said.

The Chief Minister noted that Das’ confidence was ultimately reflected in the electoral outcome as he was re-elected from Sarbhog with a significant margin in the 2026 Assembly polls.

The Chief Minister further said that Das becoming Speaker was not merely an individual achievement, but a moment of joy for lakhs of BJP workers who come from ordinary families and work tirelessly at the grassroots level for the party.

The CM expressed confidence that Das’ long political experience, organisational grounding in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and deep understanding of parliamentary traditions would help him emerge as a successful and respected Speaker.

At the same time, CM Sarma urged Das to maintain neutrality while conducting proceedings in the House. “We want a Speaker who is impartial, who allows the Opposition to speak, and who places the interests of the nation and Assam above party considerations,” he said.

Referring to the BJP’s ideological principles, CM Sarma said the party believes in ‘Nation First, Party Last’, adding that Das should conduct the House guided by that philosophy.

The Chief Minister also remarked that while a Speaker must remain politically neutral inside the House, Das would continue to remain an important political figure outside the Assembly as an elected representative of the people.

–IANS

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