Assam Cabinet likely to get eight more ministers soon

The much-awaited expansion of the Assam Cabinet will take place sometime during the week-long Bhogali Bihu festival that starts on January 14, said state BJP President Ranjit Das on Wednesday.

Das, the newly-elected President of the Assam unit of BJP, told the media that he is scheduled to meet Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday, when the matter is likely to come up for discussion.

"I am supposed to meet the Chief Minister tomorrow (Thursday). Eight new ministers will be inducted, including six BJP legislators and one each from the alliance partners the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodoland People's Front (BPF)," he said.

Apart from Chief Minister Sonowal, there are 10 ministers in the Assam Cabinet, including two AGP leaders and two BPF leaders.

Das was elected as the Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly earlier, but he relinquished his post on Monday after the BJP top brass elected him as the President of the state unit of the party.

There has been a demand to expand the ministry for smooth functioning of all the departments.

The alliance partners, AGP and BPF, had also been demanding induction of two more legislators each from the two parties into the Cabinet.

--IANS

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