Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma strengthened his cabinet on Saturday with four new ministers taking oath.
Assam Governor Laxman Prasad Acharya administered the oath of office to Prasanta Phookan, Kaushik Rai, Krishnendu Paul, and Rupesh Goala. All of them are BJP legislators.
The chief minister and members of his cabinet were present on the occasion.
Veteran BJP leader Prasanta Phukan is a four-time MLA from Dibrugarh, and Paul is a two-time MLA from Patharkandi. Rai and Goala are first-time MLAs from Lakhipur and Doom Dooma respectively.
Phukan and Goala represent the Upper Assam tea districts of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia respectively, while Paul and Rai are from the two Barak Valley districts of Sribhumi (formerly Karimganj) and Cachar.
CM Sarma now heads a 19-member council of ministers.
The Chief Minister on Thursday announced the inclusion of four new legislators in his cabinet.
The cabinet reshuffle comes after Sanjoy Kishan, the state’s Minister for Tea Tribes Welfare and Labour Welfare, tendered his resignation on Thursday. Kishan, 54, a Tinsukia MLA, had previously served in former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal‘s cabinet.
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The reshuffle aims to address several key issues, including reducing the burden on current ministers and improving regional representation, particularly ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.
