Assam Cabinet expansion delayed as BJP grapples with too many claimants

Guwahati: BJP is facing a problem of plenty in Assam after the party's thumping victory in the recently-held assembly polls. BJP has come back to power for the third consecutive term in Assam.

Though the chief minister, along with four other ministers took oath on May 12, the expansion of the council of ministers is caught up in multiple choices. Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has made a couple of trips to Delhi after being sworn in.

Sarma had said on a couple of occasions that, "the expansion of the council of ministers will take place post the assembly session and the first week of June."


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The assembly session ended on Wednesday. Rameswar Teli, Atul Bora, Charan Boro and Ajanta Neog took oath on May 12. Both Teli and Neog belonged to BJP while Bora belonged to BJP's ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Charan Boro comes from another ally -- the Bodoland People's Front.

A senior BJP leader said, "The size of the council of ministers, including the chief minister, is 18. BPF has to make do with one ministerial berth. Similarly, AGP will also have to be satisfied with one ministerial berth."

The leader said, "In the earlier government, allies got two ministers each. In 2016, AGP got two ministerial berths, in 2021, AGP again got two ministerial berths. In 2021, United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) was an ally of BJP and they got two berths in the council of ministers. Now, we have an alliance with BPF. BJP has got a massive mandate, and we must accommodate several BJP leaders."

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The leader said, "Various options are explored as several leaders from the tea tribe have won this time. Two Congress leaders who joined BJP before elections and won are also being weighed. The task of choosing ministers for the Cabinet is tough this time and the CM, along with the party leadership, is weighing different options as all regions of the states have been represented in the council of ministers. Some old faces may be dropped. However, intense brain storming is on."