Assam CM Sonowal visits Congress leader in hospital

Guwahati: Assam chief minister and a senior Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sarbananda Sonowal today visited veteran Congress leader Dr Bhumidhar Barman, who is undergoing treatment at DispurHospital in the city for some days. Sonowal, while enquiring about the health of former State CM, wishes his early recovery. “I pray for the speedy recovery of the veteran leader and assure all necessary supports for his treatment,” said Sonowal, who is expecting another term as the head of State government after the three-phase legislative assembly elections (in 126 constituencies) concluded on 6 April.   Dr Barman, who hails from Nalbari locality, has been suffering from various ailments for many years. A physician turned politician was lately hospitalised on 13 March with urinary and renal problems. He has shifted to ICU four days later and presently he is on ventilation. Born in 1931, the popular Congress politician was first elected to the State assembly in 1967. He maintained his wining spirit for seven times. Dr Barman was sworn in as the State chief minister on 22 April 1996 (after the then Congress CM Hiteswar Saikia died) and he served with the potion till 14 May 1996.   Earlier on Thursday, Sonowal along with Assam BJP president Ranjeet Kr Dass and State minister Himanta Biswa Sarma formally expressed their gratitude to the people for supporting the saffron party in the largely peaceful assembly polls. The BJP leaders lauded the voters, who recorded 82.04 percent polling in the electoral battles, and also the BJP workers across the State commenting that their immense service and sacrifices would surely bear the desired outcome.   State health minister Sarma, while answering queries from the reporters, commented that there is no immediate plan to impose a lockdown to contain the spread of novel corona virus in Assam. He expressed hope that even though the number of Covid-19 cases are increasing the people would be able to celebrate Bohag (or Rongali) Bihu with fanfare in the middle of April. He also added that the corona screening in the State would now be intensified and passengers coming from Karnataka and Maharashtra would be asked to go for a mandatory corona-test.