Himanta Biswa Sarma to be Assam's new chief minister
Guwahati: North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma has been unanimously elected as the leader of the BJP Legislature Party on Sunday and consequently will soon be invited to form government as the Chief Minister of the state, central observer and Union Agricultural Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Sunday.
Sarma's name was proposed by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and seconded by BJP state party president Ranjeet Kumar Dass and newly elected Haflong MLA Nandita Garlosa.
As no other name were proposed, ''Sarma has been unanimously elected as the BJP Legislature Party leader''.
Tomar said BJP will soon hold a meeting with its alliance partners the AGP and the UPPL.
The AGP Legislature party which also held a meeting on Sunday announced that it would support the leader elected by the BJP Legislature Party.
Earlier in the day, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal tendered his resignation to Governor Jagadish Mukhi who as is tradition, asked him to continue till the formation of the next government.
The party's central leadership had summoned Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, both contenders for the top post, to New Delhi on Saturday for discussions on the formation of the next government in the state.
Of the 126 assembly seats in Assam, the ruling alliance has secured 75 seats with BJP winning 60 while its alliance partners AGP got nine seats and UPPL six.
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Gold, silver soar as US-Iran deal hopes lift bullion demand
New Delhi (PTI): Gold prices rebounded by Rs 2,900 to Rs 1.55 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Wednesday, while silver climbed to Rs 2.54 lakh per kilogram as easing geopolitical tensions triggered a pullback in oil rates, boosting demand for precious metals.
According to the All India Sarafa Association, the yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity jumped by Rs 2,900, or nearly 2 per cent, to Rs 1,55,400 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Tuesday's closing level of Rs 1,52,500 per 10 grams.
Traders attributed the surge in bullion prices to reports that Washington and Tehran are close to finalising a framework agreement to end months of conflict, raising the prospects of smoother flows through the Strait of Hormuz and easing inflation concerns tied to energy markets.
"Gold rallied strongly on Wednesday as easing geopolitical tensions triggered a sharp reversal in key macro drivers that had recently pressured precious metals," Saumil Gandhi, Senior Analyst - Commodities at HDFC Securities, said.
Silver prices also advanced for the third straight session by rising Rs 3,500, or 1.4 per cent, to Rs 2,54,500 per kg (inclusive of all taxes). The metal had settled at Rs 2,51,000 per kg in the previous session, as per the Association.
"The prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough triggered a steep decline in oil prices and the US dollar, easing concerns about inflation while boosting demand for precious metals," Gandhi said.
Globally, spot gold increased by USD 106.15, or 2.33 per cent, to USD 4,663.70 per ounce while silver gained USD 3.40, or 4.68 per cent, to USD 76.24 per ounce.
"Gold witnessed a sharp rally as markets reacted positively to reports that the US and Iran are moving closer to a one-page agreement framework aimed at ending the conflict," Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst - Commodity and Currency, LKP Securities, said.
Despite strong international gains, rupee strength limited the upside in domestic gold prices. The market is now highly focused on final confirmation and execution of the proposed deal, he added.
Any negative surprise or breakdown in negotiations could trigger a sharp sell-off in gold, while a successful agreement and sustained ceasefire could push the bullion prices higher in the near-term, Trivedi said.
