Assam Cabinet expansion: CM Sarma retains core team, adds four
Guwahati, June 4
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday announced the names of 12 legislators who will be sworn in as Cabinet Ministers on June 5, completing the formation of his second ministry and signalling a mix of continuity and fresh representation in the state government.
In a post on X, Sarma said that 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 would take oath as Cabinet Ministers at a ceremony scheduled for 12.45 p.m. on Friday.
The swearing-in will bring the strength of the Council of Ministers to 17, including Chief Minister Sarma and the four ministers inducted earlier: Ajanta Neog, Rameswar Teli, Atul Bora, and Charan Boro.
A comparison with Sarma's first ministry shows that the BJP leadership has largely retained its core governing team while making room for several new entrants. Senior ministers from the previous government, including Ashok Singhal, Pijush Hazarika, Jayanta Malla Baruah, Ranoj Pegu, Bimal Borah, and Asom Gana Parishad's Keshab Mahanta, have secured another term in the Cabinet, reflecting the party's confidence in experienced hands.
Moreover, two BJP MLAs from southern Assam's Barak Valley region, Kaushik Rai and Krishnendu Paul, who were given Cabinet berths in the previous Council of Ministers after an expansion, have also retained their places.
At the same time, four legislators, Ashwini Ray Sarkar, Biswajit Daimary, Nilima Devi, and Susanta Borgohain, are set to enter the Council of Ministers for the first time.
Daimary was the Speaker in the previous Assembly. Their inclusion is being viewed as an attempt to broaden regional, social, and political representation within the government following the NDA's sweeping electoral victory.
The new ministry also marks the exit of several ministers who served in the previous Sarma government. Among those who have not been accommodated in the new Cabinet are Chandra Mohan Patowary, Jogen Mohan, and Urkhao Gwra Brahma.
Ranjeet Kumar Dass, who was a Cabinet Minister in the previous government, has been appointed as the Assembly Speaker this time.
The composition reflects a calibrated balance between continuity and change. While retaining key faces associated with the government's flagship programmes and development agenda, the BJP has also rewarded a new generation of leaders who emerged during the recent Assembly elections.
The Cabinet formation comes weeks after Sarma began his second consecutive term as Chief Minister following the NDA's emphatic victory in the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, where the ruling alliance secured a commanding mandate.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting that Biswajit Daimary moves from Speaker to Cabinet—he knows the legislative process inside out. Should be good for policy implementation. But why drop Chandra Mohan Patowary? He was handling education well, I thought.
Finally some women representation with Nilima Devi! But only one woman in a 17-member cabinet? That's disappointing for a state that needs to focus on maternal health and education. We need more voices from the grassroots. 🚺
As someone who follows Northeast politics from the US, this looks like a pragmatic mix. Retaining Pijush Hazarika and Ashok Singhal gives continuity on flood management and health. But the Barak Valley inclusion seems token—just two ministers from a region that's crucial for BJP's Hindu vote bank?
As a teacher from Guwahati, I'm cautiously optimistic. The education portfolio needs someone who understands rural schools. Ranoj Pegu's retention is good, but I wish the cabinet had more young faces—we have a huge demographic dividend in Assam. The 2026 mandate was strong, so no excuses now. 📚
Dropping Jogen Mohan is a surprise—he was handling the border areas well. And no representative from the indigenous communities beyond Bodo? Charan Boro is there, but what about the Mishings, Tiwas, and others? Overall, it's a safe cabinet, not a bold one. Hope the development work speaks louder than the politics of promotion. 🙏
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