Assam cabinet expansion: 12 MLAs sworn in as ministers
Guwahati, June 5
Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya on Friday administered the oath of office and secrecy to 12 ministers in the cabinet headed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, completing the formation of the new state government following the NDA's emphatic victory in the recently concluded Assembly elections.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati in the presence of Chief Minister Sarma, senior BJP leaders, legislators and government officials.
The 12 legislators who took oath as Cabinet Ministers were Ashwini Ray Sarkar, Ashok Singhal, Bimal Borah, Biswajit Daimary, Jayanta Malla Baruah, Kaushik Rai, Keshab Mahanta, Krishnendu Paul, Nilima Devi, Pijush Hazarika, Ranoj Pegu and Susanta Borgohain.
With the latest induction, the strength of the Council of Ministers has risen to 17, including Chief Minister Sarma and the four ministers who had already been sworn in earlier -- Ajanta Neog, Rameswar Teli, Atul Bora and Charan Boro.
The composition of the new cabinet reflects a blend of continuity and change, with the BJP leadership retaining several experienced ministers from the previous government while inducting fresh faces.
Senior leaders such as Ashok Singhal, Pijush Hazarika, Jayanta Malla Baruah, Ranoj Pegu, Bimal Borah and AGP leader Keshab Mahanta have retained their Cabinet berths, signalling the party's confidence in their administrative experience.
At the same time, Ashwini Ray Sarkar, Biswajit Daimary, Nilima Devi and Susanta Borgohain have entered the Council of Ministers for the first time. Daimary had served as Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly in the previous term.
The new ministry also marks the exit of some ministers from the previous government, including Chandra Mohan Patowary, Jogen Mohan and Urkhao Gwra Brahma.
Former Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass has been appointed Speaker of the Assembly.
Political observers view the cabinet formation as an effort to maintain administrative continuity while expanding regional and social representation within the government. The ministry was constituted weeks after Sarma assumed office for a second consecutive term as Chief Minister following the NDA's decisive victory in the 2026 Assam Assembly elections.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally some fresh faces like Nilima Devi and Biswajit Daimary! But I wish they had included more women—only one in 12 ministers? Come on, Assam's women deserve better representation. Also, shedding Chandra Mohan Patowary is surprising, he was a seasoned hand. Let's hope this team focuses on flood management and jobs.
Kudos to the NDA for maintaining continuity. But I'm a bit concerned—many of these ministers were in the previous cabinet, and we still have issues like the flood crisis and border disputes. Is this the 'change' people voted for? Retaining AGP's Keshab Mahanta is a good political move though, for coalition harmony.
Swearing-in at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra—nice cultural touch by the CM. But I'm skeptical about Krishendu Paul and Ashwini Ray Sarkar being new faces; we need people with grassroots experience, not just political connections. Hope Sarma saab cracks the whip on corruption. Ab aasman se zameen par kaam dikhao. 🇮🇳
Mixed bag. Happy to see Ranoj Pegu retain his berth—he's done decent work in education. But dropping Urkhao Gwra Brahma might upset tribal votes. The cabinet looks like a careful caste and community balancing act, typical of our politics. My only ask: focus on youth employment and stop the Brahmaputra erosion. 🙏
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