Himanta Sarma Expands Assam Cabinet, 12 More Ministers to Be Sworn In
The expansion brings the strength of the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led ministry to 17, with experienced ministers returning and four new faces joining the Council of Ministers.
GUWAHATI- Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is set to expand his Council of Ministers with the induction of 12 additional ministers on Friday, nearly three weeks after the formation of the second BJP-led government in the state.
The expansion will increase the size of the ministry to 17 members. The initial swearing-in ceremony held on May 12 included Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP leaders Rameswar Teli and Ajanta Neog, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president Atul Bora, and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) leader Charan Boro.
The new inductees include a mix of experienced ministers and first-time entrants, reflecting both continuity and political balancing across regions and communities. Eight of the legislators selected for induction had served in the previous Sarma government.
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Those set to join the Council of Ministers are Ashwini Ray Sarkar, Ashok Singhal, Bimal Borah, Biswajit Daimary, Jayanta Mallabaruah, Kaushik Rai, Keshab Mahanta, Krishnendu Paul, Nilima Devi, Pijush Hazarika, Dr. Ranoj Pegu and Sushanta Borgohain.
Among them, Ashok Singhal, Bimal Borah, Jayanta Mallabaruah, Kaushik Rai, Keshab Mahanta, Krishnendu Paul, Pijush Hazarika and Ranoj Pegu were part of the outgoing ministry. Keshab Mahanta represents the AGP, while the remaining ministers belong to the BJP.
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The cabinet expansion also introduces four new faces. Former Assam Legislative Assembly Speaker and senior Bodo leader Biswajit Daimary will join the ministry after previously serving in parliamentary and legislative leadership roles. Nilima Devi, president of the Assam Pradesh BJP Mahila Morcha and a first-time MLA, will become one of the two women ministers in the government alongside senior BJP leader Ajanta Neog.
The other first-time entrants include Ashwini Ray Sarkar, considered an influential Bengali Hindu leader from western Assam, and Sushanta Borgohain, an Ahom leader from eastern Assam who joined the BJP in 2021 after leaving the Congress.
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With the latest expansion, the Council of Ministers will comprise 17 BJP ministers, two AGP representatives and one minister from the BPF, reinforcing the BJP-led alliance’s dominance in the state government.
Political observers have noted the absence of some prominent leaders who joined the BJP ahead of the Assembly elections. Among those not accommodated in the ministry is former Congress leader Pradyot Bordoloi, who switched to the BJP while serving as a Lok Sabha MP. Another notable omission is senior BJP leader Chandra Mohan Patowary, who was among the most experienced members of the previous cabinet.
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The ministry also currently lacks representation from Assam’s hill districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao. Since the state can have up to 19 ministers under constitutional provisions, two positions remain vacant and could be filled in a future cabinet expansion.
The reshuffle is being viewed as an effort by the BJP leadership to balance administrative experience, community representation and regional considerations as the new government begins its second term.
