Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma expands Cabinet, 12 MLAs sworn in as ministers

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday expanded his Cabinet with the induction of 12 MLAs, who took the oath of office as ministers at a ceremony held at Jyoti-Bishnu Antarjatik Kala Mandir in Guwahati. Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya administered the oath of office and secrecy to the legislators as ministers.

With the induction of 12 additional ministers the strength of the Assam Council of Ministers has increased to 17. Earlier, on May 12, Himanta Biswa Sarma was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Assam. Along with him, four legislators also took the oath as ministers.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sarma in a post on X described the new Cabinet as a "balanced team that represents the aspirations of all sections of society." He said their experience and wisdom would further strengthen the government's resolve to build a "Viksit Assam."

Of the 12 legislators inducted into the Assam government, 11 belong to the BJP—Ashwini Ray Sarkar, Ashok Singhal, Bimal Borah, Biswajit Daimary, Jayant Mallabaruah, Kaushik Rai, Krishnendu Paul, Nilima Devi, Pijush Hazarika, Ranoj Pegu and Susanta Borgohain—while Keshab Mahanta represents the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).

Notably, the ruling NDA secured a two-thirds majority, winning a record 102 seats in the 126-member Assembly and forming the government for a third consecutive term.

The BJP, which contested 90 seats, won 82, while its allies—the Bodoland People's Front (BPF), which contested 11 seats, and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which contested 26 seats—won 10 seats each. The Congress, on the other hand contested 99 seats and won 19 constituencies.