Sarbananda Sonowal sworn in as first BJP CM of Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the swearing-in ceremony.

After 15 years of Congress rule, Assam gets its first BJP government headed by Sarbananda Sonowal. The BJP coalition won a comfortable 86 seats in the 126-member Assembly. The BJP had alliances with smaller parties and ethnic groups like the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), the Bodo People's Front (BPF) and the Rabhas and the Tiwa community, which also paved the way for its stronghold in the state.

Live updates:

05.45 p.m.: "The Centre will extend assistance to Assam and other north eastern states for their speedy development as part of the Act East Policy," said Mr. Modi.

05.39 p.m.: "Assam's development and progress is our top most priority and our BJP led NDA government in state will leave no stone unturned," said BJP chief Amit Shah.

05.33 p.m.:

Congratulations & best wishes to >@sarbanandsonwal & his cabinet. I'm sure Assam will create new records of development under his leadership.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah)

>May 24, 2016

05.30 p.m.: PM Modi said entire Northeast can play important role in boosting India's economy and Assam will be its power centre.

05.24 p.m.: "India's development has to be all-round and inclusive. The eastern part of India cannot remain away from the development journey."

05.21 p.m.: "Democracy is about bhagidari (participation). The Centre and the States must walk shoulder to shoulder for development."

05.20 p.m.: "The Central government believes in cooperative federalism. We want to give the states maximum strength and enable them to progress."

05.19 p.m.: "I am sure that Sarbananda ji will leave no stone unturned for the development of Assam."

05.18 p.m.: "A leader belonging to the tribal community, a leader dedicated to serving society will now be the CM of Assam."

05.17 p.m.: "I want to congratulate the people of Assam, who have dreamt of development and given a chance to Sarbananda Sonowal and his team to serve," said Mr. Modi.

05.15 p.m.: Apart from the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers from NDA-ruled states are at the ceremony too. BJP Chief Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh), Vasundhara Raje Scindia (Rajasthan), Anandi Ben Patel (Gujarat), Devendra Phadnavis (Maharastra), Manohar Lal Khattar (Haryana), Raman Singh (Chattisgarh), Raghubar Das (Jharkhand), and Laxmikant Parsekar (Goa) were present. Also present at the function were Chief Ministers of alliance parties Prakash Singh Badal (Punjab) and Chandrababu Naidu of Andhra Pradesh.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kaliko Pul and Sikkim Chief Minister P.K. Chamling, and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi were also present.

05.13 p.m.: Who is Sarbananda Sonowal? Read >our profile to know more.

05.10 p.m.: The BJP has delivered a knockout punch to the ruling Congress in the Assembly elections in Assam. >Read more

05.05 p.m.: In Assam, the BJP returned to a mantra that had served it well during the 2014 election, striking a chord with voters yearning for better infrastructure and economic progress. >Read more

5 p.m.: The top brass of the BJP, including Home Minister Rajnath Singh and L.K. Advani are in attendance. The two from AGP to be sworn-in were Atul Bora (Jr) and Kesab Mahanta, while the two from BPF were Pramila Rani Brahma and Rihan Daimary.

Ms. Brahma and Mr. Daimari took their oaths in Bodo and Suklabaidya in Bengali while the rest, in Assamese.

04.50 p.m.: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s conquest of Assam is momentous not only for its scale but also for the hopes that accompany it. >Read our editorial

04.45 p.m.: On Sunday, Mr. Sonowal was unanimously elected as BJP Legislature Party leader in Assam. The six from BJP to take oath as ministers were Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chandra Mohan Patowary, Ranjit Dutta, Parimal Suklabaidya, Pallab Lochan Das and Naba Kumar Doley.

04.40 p.m.: Himanta Biswa Sarma takes oath as a minister in Assam Government. The former CM, Tarun Gogoi is in attendance at the ceremony. Along with Mr. Sonowal, 10 Ministers including those from alliance partners Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodo Peoples Front (BPF) also took their oath of office.

04.35 p.m.: Sarbananda Sonowal takes oath as Chief Minister of Assam at Khanapara field in Guwahati. After he was sworn-in, he greeted the PM. Sarbananda Sonowal is the 14th Chief Minister of Assam. He took his oath in Assamese.

04.30 p.m.: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives for the swearing-in of Assam's first BJP government.

(With inputs from PTI)