#HimantaSwearingIn: Himanta Biswa Sharma takes oath as Assam’s new CM; What’s the covid action plan post verdict?
10 May, 2021 | Rakshanda Afrin
BJP's Himanta Biswa Sarma has been sworn in as the 15th Chief Minister of Assam today. As Assam witnessed surge in fresh covid cases, the ruling BJP alliance will now have to fast track their covi...
BJP’s Himanta Biswa Sarma has been sworn in as the 15th Chief Minister of Assam today as Sarbananda Sonowal, the former Chief Minister’s term comes to an end. BJP National President JP Nadda along with top party leader and a half a dozen chief ministers attended the ceremony. BJP set to kick start as the ruling BJP alliance becomes the first non-congress govt to win second consecutive term in Assam by winning majority in the recently concluded assembly polls in the state.
The party wins with 60 seats in the 126- member Assam assembly and its alliance AGP won 9 seats and UPPL with 6 seats. At the meeting held in Guwahati yesterday, Sonowal had proposed his name after PM Narendra Modi gave his approval for Sarma’s preferment. Himanta Biswa Sarma thanked PM Modi saying he is immensely blessed as for PM Modi to put his faith in him. Sharma also ensured that he will give every possible effort to realise PM Modi’s vision of taking Assam and NorthEast to advancement.
Covid
Assam had the lowest death rate and highest recovery rate in the country around the end of 2020, but things are different this time. The positivity rate, which was not more than 7 per cent even during the peak of the first wave, is already almost 9 per cent. The daily cases have definitely expanded to almost 5,000 per day. The day-wise statistics of positive cases has drastically increased since 26 April 2021.
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Though the current recovery rate of 88 per cent is better than most other states in the country, it has the second wave tsunami incoming. On 1 May 2021, the total number of Covid-related deaths in Assam was 23, which leaped to 55 within five days, with Kamrup Metropolitan district leading the list. According to JHU CSSE COVID-19 data which was updated two days ago recorded 2.89L cases and 2.49L recovered with 1,628 deaths. Assam government has announced night curfew from 6pm imposing restrictions on movement of public and all the shops and commercial establishments to shut down at 2pm every day.