CM Himanta visits Sonowal's Dibrugarh home to condole brother's passing
Synopsis
Assam CM Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Union Minister Sarbanand Sonowal's Dibrugarh home on 2 August 2026 to pay tributes to his late elder brother, Mista Prasad Sonowal, a social worker, and offered condolences to the bereaved family.
Key Takeaways
Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Dibrugarh on 2 August 2026 to condole Union Minister Sarbanand Sonowal on his brother's passing.
The deceased, Late Mista Prasad Sonowal , was described as a distinguished social worker.
Sarbanand Sonowal served as Assam's Chief Minister from 2016 to 2021 and currently holds the Union portfolio of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
Sarma prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed condolences to the bereaved family.
The visit reflects the close interpersonal ties between the two senior BJP leaders who have jointly shaped Assam's governance since 2016.
A quiet but telling gesture of solidarity unfolded in Dibrugarh on Sunday, 2 August 2026, as Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma called on Union Minister Sarbanand Sonowal at his residence to offer condolences on the passing of Sonowal's elder brother, Late Mista Prasad Sonowal, described as a distinguished social worker.
The Chief Minister's Office confirmed that Dr. Sarma paid heartfelt tributes to the departed and conveyed his deepest condolences to the bereaved family, praying for the eternal peace of the departed soul.
Sarbanand Sonowal currently serves as Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. Before that, he governed Assam as Chief Minister from 2016 to 2021 — the tenure that marked the BJP's first term in power in the state. Dr. Sarma, who succeeded him in 2021, has maintained a close working relationship with Sonowal within the party's Assam leadership structure.
Dibrugarh, a major commercial and political hub in upper Assam, is Sonowal's home ground. Condolence visits of this kind — a sitting chief minister travelling to a colleague's home in a moment of personal grief — are a long-standing practice in Assam's political culture, underscoring the interpersonal bonds that run alongside formal governance.
The late Mista Prasad Sonowal was remembered as a social worker who served his community, though no further public record of his work was available at the time of this report.
Point of View
Signalling unity within a leadership structure that has occasionally been read as carrying undercurrents of internal hierarchy. Such gestures matter in Assam's political culture, where personal loyalty and community ties are as consequential as policy alignment. It does not signal any shift in governance or policy direction, but it reinforces the interpersonal architecture on which the BJP's decade-long hold on Assam has been built.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Mista Prasad Sonowal?
Mista Prasad Sonowal was the elder brother of Union Minister Sarbanand Sonowal and is described as a distinguished social worker from Assam. No wider public record of his work is available at the time of this report.
Why did Himanta Biswa Sarma visit Dibrugarh on 2 August 2026?
Assam CM Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Dibrugarh to pay condolences to Union Minister Sarbanand Sonowal on the passing of his elder brother, Late Mista Prasad Sonowal .
What is Sarbanand Sonowal's current role?
Sarbanand Sonowal currently serves as Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. He previously served as Chief Minister of Assam from 2016 to 2021 .
What did CM Himanta Biswa Sarma say during the condolence visit?
The Chief Minister's Office stated that Dr. Sarma paid heartfelt tributes to the departed, conveyed his deepest condolences to the bereaved family, and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul.
Where is Dibrugarh and why is it significant to Sarbanand Sonowal?
Dibrugarh is a major city and district in upper Assam and is Sarbanand Sonowal's home ground, making it the natural location for his family residence.
