New Delhi: Parts of the scenic riverine island of Majuli are already in celebration mode. The exit polls are pre- dicting a victory for BJP's CM candidate Sarbananda Sonowal and that has sent a shiver of excitement through his supporters, party cadres, voters, friends and relatives, who now wait for the verdict on Thursday. Sonowal, after arriving from Guwahati on Wednesday afternoon, is infected by the good cheer, but reacts with cautious optimism.
"I am a human being after all. Like everyone, I am also an- xious. Please pray for us," he told TOI from Majuli - an island which has been a sacred site for the Vaishnavite Bhakti tradition. When asked if he is getting sound sleep, he said, "I am a follower of Sri Krishna and won't buckle under pressure."
The minister of youth affairs and sports may soon have to vacate his job in Delhi to take up the CM's chair in Assam. But his analogies continue to be drawn from sport. He linked the importance of sweating it out in both cricket and politics. "If elected, I will have to be like a cricketer on the field. I have to be always on my feet and I love that. It's the love of my people here that has made me what I am today," he said.