Guwahati, Assam:
Sarbananda Sonowal was sworn in as the 14th chief minister of Assam in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and other dignitaries at a huge public function at Khanapara field.
We will make Assam a developed state. Like you voted us to power with thumping majority, hope you will support us through our term: Sarbananda Sonowal.
Please bless us that we can function. Welcome Tarun Gogoi, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and also all members of the Cabinet. It's a historic moment for the BJP: Sarbananda Sonowal.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal addressing the gathering now.
India's development has to be all-round and inclusive. Eastern part of India cannot remain away from the development journey: PM in Assam
Democracy is about 'bhagidari'. The Centre and the states must walk shoulder to shoulder for development: PM Narendra Modi.
A leader belonging to the tribal community, a leader dedicated to serving society will now be the chief minister of Assam: PM Narendra Modi on Sarbananda Sonowal.
I am sure Sarbananda Sonowal will serve Assam and work very hard to transform Assam. His team will do the same: PM Narendra Modi in Assam.
The Central government believes in cooperative federalism. Want to give the states maximum strength and enable them to progress: PM Narendra Modi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extends his gratitude to the people of Assam.
Want to congratulate the people of Assam, who have dreamt of development and given a chance to Sarbananda Sonowal and his team: PM Narendra Modi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks in Assamese to chants of 'Modi Modi'.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins his speech during the swearing-in ceremony of Sarbananda Sonowal.
BJP president Amit Shah speaking during the swearing-in ceremony.
Development can truly come to Assam now, after the state being denied from it since the last decade: Amit Shah.
There are 14 NDA Chief Ministers are here, and we are ecstatic that there is a BJP Chief Minister leading Assam: Amit Shah.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan speaking during the swearing-in ceremony on Sarbananda Sonowal.
History has been created in Assam. You have voted the BJP to power. Whichever state has a BJP-NDA government, it has seen a fast-paced growth and development. I can say this with certainty, that Assam will grow leaps and bounds: Shivraj Singh.
BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma addresses a rally after taking oath as the Cabinet minister.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu speaking at the swearing-in ceremony.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP chief Amit Shah and BJP senior leader LK Advani together at the swearing-in ceremony.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal talking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
BPF's Pramila Rani Brahma takes oath as Assam minister.
Himanta Biswa Sarma greeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
BJP's Himanta Biswa Sarma takes oath as Assam Cabinet minister.
Former chief minister Tarun Gogoi shares stage with NDA leaders.
Sarbananda Sonowal greeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Assam's new Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
Sarbananda Sonowal takes oath in Assamese.
BJP's Sarbananda Sonowal becomes Assam's chief minister.
Sarbananda Sonowal takes oath as Assam's new Chief Minister.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaches the stage to attend Sarbananda Sonowal's swearing-in ceremony.
LK Advani, Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Ram Vilas Paswan, Nitin Gadkari, Ananth Kumar, VK Singh attend the ceremony.
Chief Ministers Vasundhara Raje, Parkash Singh Badal, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chandrababu Naidu, Anandiben Patel, Raman Singh and Raghubar Das attend Sarbananda Sonowal's swearing-in ceremony.
"Wherever I have reached today is only because of the love and blessings of the people of Assam," Sarbnanda Sonowal told NDTV ahead of his swearing-in, saying that the PM's decision to attend the ceremony is "a great honour for Assam and also personally for me ... it shows that PM Modi loves Assam from his heart."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and several union ministers are attending the oath ceremony of Sarbananda Sonowal as the head of the first BJP government in Assam.
Sarbananda Sonowal, who belongs to the Sonowal-Kachari tribe, has contested the 2016 Assembly elections from Majuli, the world's largest river island and the seat of Vaishnavite culture. Born on October 31, 1962 in Molokgaon in Dibrugarh district to Jibeswar Sonowal and Dineswari Sonowal, he is a bachelor and a devout follower of Assam's renowned Vaishnav saints Sankardeva and Madhavdeva. An ardent sportsman, the Union Sports Minister is a keen follower of football, cricket and badminton.
Sarbananda Sonowal has been also credited with making inroads for the party in erstwhile Congress bastion of the tea districts of Upper Assam by ensuring party wins in Dibrugarh and Jorhat parliamentary constituencies. He, himself, wrested the Lakhimpur constituency from former Union Minister Ranee Narah of the Congress and was made the Union Minister of State for Sports and Youth Development. He also played a key role in ensuring the hosting of the South Asian Games (SAG) in Guwahati and Shillong.
Mr Sonowal left the AGP in January 2011 following differences with the party leadership and went on to join the BJP in February 2011 in the presence of then party President Nitin Gadkari and other senior leaders. He went on to become the BJP state unit President in 2012 and was credited with raising the party's tally to seven from the earlier four and reducing the Congress' margin to three from seven in the 2014 Parliamentary polls.
In 2004, he went on to successfully contest the Lok Sabha polls wresting the seat for the first time from the Congress by defeating former Union Minister Paban Singh Ghatowar. He, however, lost the 2009 parliamentary polls to Ghatowar from the same constituency which was once considered a Congress bastion.
A major figure in students' politics in Assam, Mr Sonowal, a law graduate, also became the Chairman of North East Students' Organisation (NESO) from 1996 to 2000. From AASU he went on to join the Asom Gana Parishad in 2001, founded by his erstwhile seniors in the students' organisation, and was elected the party's MLA from Upper Assam's Moran constituency in 2001.
Credited with challenging the controversial Illegal Migrants' Determination by Tribunal (IMDT) Act in the Supreme Court which finally scrapped it, Mr Sonowal's foray into politics began with his joining the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) where he served as its President from 1992 to 1999.
Sarbananda Sonowal's name as BJP's face during the Assembly polls in Assam came as no surprise as he came with a clean image and no baggage, and enjoyed the confidence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The state unit, however, put up a united front in the elections under Mr Sonowal, who also took charge as the party chief before the polls, to script history as the first state in the North East where the BJP has come to power.
Sarbananda Sonowal, who will be sworn-in as the 14th chief minister of Assam later today, has had a phenomenal political journey. From student politics to joining Asom Gana Parishador (AGP), then switching to the BJP and becoming a Union Minister, Sarbanada Sonowal's journey to the peak has been a steady climb marked by twists and turns.
Sarbananda Sonowal will be sworn-in as the chief minister of Assam at 4 pm today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the swearing-in ceremony. BJP president Amit Shah and several union ministers will be present too. BJP has prepared a grand show for Mr Sonowal's oath taking. Also attending today's ceremony is Tarun Gogoi, the Congressman who was chief minister of Assam for 15 years before being vanquished by the BJP last week. Mr Sonowal, 53, personally invited Mr Gogoi, 80, and also sought his blessings.
