GUWAHATI, Dec 25 - Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly Ranjeet Kumar Dass took over as the president of the State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) here this evening. The Sorbhog MLA will succeed Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal as the State party chief.
Prior to that, Dass had submitted his resignation as the Speaker of the Assembly to the Deputy Speaker Dilip Pal in Barpeta, party spokesperson Bijon Kumar Mahajan told this reporter.
The former Indian Information Officer was elected as the Speaker of the Assembly in June this year.
While handing over the charge to Das, Sonowal hoped that Das would provide a strong leadership to the BJP and further strengthen the party base.
Immediately after taking over the charge, Dass said solicited the support of one and all to take the party forward.
�This will be a new challenge for me and I would strive to address the perennial problems of the State through the party forum,� Dass said, addressing the party members.
He assured to give his best to live up to the expectations of the party and the people of Assam. Earlier, Dass was escorted by hundreds of party members on his way to the party office at Hengerabari in the form of a procession.
Member of Parliament Bijoya Chakravarty also spoke on the occasion.
The function was also attended by former State president of BJP Indramoni Bora, Narayan Chandra Borkotoky, Member of Parliament Ramen Deka and Minister Ranjit Dutta and others.
