During a cabinet meeting, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed that in 2014, amidst support from 58 Congress legislators, Sonia Gandhi had asked him to finalize the date to take the oath as Chief Minister. He recalled suggesting to her a date in June 2014 after an important festival, but noted that a phone call from Rahul Gandhi altered the course of events significantly. Sarma's statement highlights the internal discord within the Congress party at that time, which impacted leadership decisions.

Sarma elaborated that there was considerable dissatisfaction within the Assam Congress following the 2011 Assembly elections. The internal rift was notably fueled by some party legislators who were advocating for a leadership change from the then Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. Sarma's shift to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2015 marks a significant political transformation and aligns with the BJP's rise in Assam, claiming victory for the first time in the state.

This revelation from Sarma not only sheds light on his political journey and the dynamics within the Congress party but also serves as a commentary on the strategic decisions that shaped Assam's political landscape. It raises questions on how political allegiance and changes in leadership can dramatically shift party fortunes, especially in regional politics dominated by alliances and internal power struggles.