GUWAHATI: In a move highlighting the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) focus on the Northeast, two prominent leaders, Sarbananda Sonowal and Kiren Rijiju, have been sworn in as cabinet ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third cabinet term, on Sunday.
Sonowal, hailing from Assam, and Rijiju, representing Arunachal Pradesh, took the oath of office as cabinet ministers at Rashtrapati Bhawan in front of over 8,000 guests, further cementing the BJP’s presence and influence in the Northeast.
Sonowal, who previously served as the Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, as well as the Minister of AYUSH, secured a landslide victory from the Dibrugarh constituency with a margin of 2.79 lakh votes.
He played a pivotal role in the BJP’s rise in Assam, eventually becoming the state’s first BJP Chief Minister in 2016.
During his tenure as Chief Minister, Sonowal faced a slew of challenges, including overseeing the preparation of the National Registry of Citizens (NRC) and managing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, later passed as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Rijiju, a seasoned politician from Arunachal Pradesh, has been a prominent BJP figure in the Northeast.
With his re-election as a cabinet minister in Prime Minister Modi’s third term, Rijiju continues to be a key representative for the region at the national level.
After serving as Minister of State in 2014, Minister of State with Independent Charge in 2019, and ascending to the position of Cabinet Minister in 2021, Rijiju currently holds the Ministry of Earth Sciences portfolio.
The BJP’s coalition government, formed with the support of its NDA allies JD(U) and TDP, signifies a delicate balancing act in cabinet allocations.
With major allies vying for substantial shares in the cabinet, the swearing-in ceremony was a closely watched event.
As Sonowal and Rijiju assume their ministerial responsibilities, their appointments highlight the BJP’s commitment to amplifying Northeast voices on the national stage.
