7 new ministers to take oath tomorrow in Assam

The two-year-old Sarbanada Sonowal government in Assam will be expanded for the first time with the induction of seven new ministers tomorrow, officials said here today.

Of the seven, five will be from the BJP and one each from alliance partners Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland Peoples' Front (BPF), the officials said.

"The Cabinet expansion was long overdue. We hope to improve our governance with the induction of the new faces," Chief Minister Sonowal told reporters.

The Sarbananda Sonowal ministry was sworn in on May 24, 2016 with 11 ministers -- the chief minister, eight Cabinet ministers and two ministers of state with independent charge - taking oath.

Assam can have 19 ministers, including the chief minister. So, even after the induction of seven new ministers tomorrow, one more position will remain vacant, the officials said.

The new ministers will be Siddhartha Bhattacharyya, Bhabesh Kalita, Sum Ronghang, Tapan Gogoi and Pijush Hazarika of the BJP, Phani Bhushan Choudhury of the AGP and Chandan Brahma of the BPF, they said.

Of the seven, the MLAs of the AGP and the BPF had previous experience as ministers in the previous governments in the state.

The seven will be sworn-in as ministers at the Raj Bhavan tomorrow.