North East Democratic Alliance convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma was on Monday sworn-in as the 15th chief minister of Assam.  He said his government’s aim is to make the state one of the top five in India in the next five years, and the prime focus will be to control the pandemic, fulfil all poll promises and make the state free from annual flood havoc. 

Asked about the contentious National Register of Citizens, he said his government wants reverification of 20 per cent names in the border districts of Assam, and 10 per cent in other areas. “If very negligible error is found, then we can proceed with the existing NRC. But, if there are huge anomalies, I hope the court will take note and do the needful with a new perspective.” On BJP’s assurance of bringing in a law against ‘love jihad’, Sarma said, “Every promise was meant for implementation. We will do everything possible to fulfil them.”