Gogoi reshuffles his two and a half year old ministry

The Assam CM introduces 11 new cabinet ministers and three ministers of state with independent charge

After prevaricating for long, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi today finally reshuffled his three and half year old ministry for the first time. All together, 14 ministers were administered oath of office and secrecy by Governor PB Acharya at Raj Bhawan.

All the former ministers had tendered their resignations on January 19 to facilitate Gogoi to effect the cabinet reshuffle. The new council of ministers include 11 cabinet ministers and three ministers of state (independent charge).

The 11 cabinet rank ministers who were sworn in today are Bhumidhar Barman, Sarat Barkataky, Ajanta Neog, Nazrul Islam, Rakibul Hussain, Chandan Kumar Sarkar, Khor Sing Engti, Sukur Ali, Ajit Singh, Basanta Das and Atuwa Munda. Ajanta Neog, Nazrul Islam, Rockybul Hussain, Khorsing Engti, Ajit Singh and Basanta Das have been re-inducted in the ministry.

On the other hand, Sumitra Doley Patir, Girindra Mallik and Bismita Gogoi were sworn in as ministers of state (independent charge).

For past two years, reshuffle in the Gogoi ministry was expected as the Congress party in Assam was facing dissidence from a section of MLAs, headed by heavyweight congress leader and former health and education minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma. Sarma, who had resigned from the ministry in July last year after the Congress 'high command' did not yield to his demand for a leadership change in the government, did not find any place in the new ministry.

Tarun Gogoi is serving his third straight term as chief minister of Assam. The state will go for assembly polls in 2016. A second reshuffle is also expected as four berths in ministry remain vacant.