GUWAHATI, June 7 ? The Chief Minister Sri Tarun Gogoi, today inducted 20 new faces in his one-year-old council of ministers and dropped a Minister of State taking the size of the ministry to a 36-member one. In the process the Chief Minister elevated Minister of State (Independent Charge), Anjan Dutta and Minister of State Smt Rupam Kurmi to the cabinet rank while Minister of State, Pradyut Bordoloi was given Independent charge. Among the 20 new faces who were inducted today, five were made Cabinet Ministers, four Ministers of State with Independent charge and 11 Ministers of State. There are as many as 11 first-time MLAs among the new ministers.
Governor of Assam, Lt Gen (retd) SK Sinha, administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly-elected Cabinet and State ministers at a solemn function held in Darbar Hall of Raj Bhawan here this afternoon in presence of All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge of Assam, Smt Mohsina Kidwai, APCC president Paban Singh Ghatowar, MP and a host of dignitaries. The newly inducted Cabinet Ministers are: Bhubaneswar Kalita, Rupam Kurmi, Mithias Tudu, Anjan Dutta, Nurzamal Sarkar, Dr Nazrul Islam and Pankaj Bora. The new Ministers of State with independent charge include Ripun Bora, Misbahul Islam Laskar, Captain Robin Bordoloi, Wajed Ali Choudhury and Pradyut Bordoloi. The Ministers of State are: Himanta Bishwa Sharma, Etuwa Munda, Pranati Phukan, Rakibul Hussain, Rupan Singh Ronghang, Sukur Ali Ahmed, Nilamoni Sen Deka, Dr Ananda Ram Baruah, Ajanta Neog, Sharifa Begum and Pranay Rabha.
With the expansion effected today the Gogoi ministry now have 19 Cabinet Ministers in total besides five Ministers of State with independent charge and 11 Ministers of State. Talking to newsmen after the swearing-in ceremony the Chief Minister, Sri Gogoi informed that portfolios of all the new ministers would be allocated ?within a day or two?. He informed that Minister of State Nazibul Umar had already tendered his resignation which was forwarded to the Governor. Sri Umar would be entrusted with organisational responsibilities in the party. The APCC president, Paban Singh Ghatowar said the ministry was not a big one considering the 72 numbers of ruling Congress MLAs in the State Assembly. He expressed satisfaction that all the communities and ethnic groups in the State had been represented in the ministry through today?s expansion.
With today?s expansion number of women in the council of ministers rose to five of whom Rupan Kurmi has become the first lady Cabinet Minister from Tea Tribe community while Pranati Phukon become first ever minister from Naharkatiya constituency. Seniormost Congress legislator, Mithias Tudu today became the first Cabinet Minister from Christian community in the State. The first time MLAs who were made ministers today, included: Bhubaneswar Kalita, Pankaj Bora, Ripun Bora, Robin Bordoloi, Himanta Bishwa Sharma, Rakibul Hussain, Rupon Singh Ronghang, Nilomani Sen Deka, Dr Ananda Ram Baruah, Sharifa Begum and Ajanta Neog, the widow of former Assam Minister Nagen Neog who was slain by banned ULFA during the run-up to 1996 Assembly polls.
Assam council of ministers after Friday?s expansion: Chief Minister: Sri Tarun Gogoi. Cabinet ministers: Dr Bhumidhar Barman, Sarat Barkataky, Devananda Konwar, Rameswar Dhanwar, Dr Ardhendu Dey, Dr Hemoprova Saikia, Dinesh Prasad Gowala, Ismail Hussain, Gobinda Chandra Langthasa, Bharat Chandra Narah, Gautom Roy, Hemprakash Narayan, Bhubaneswar Kalita, Smt Rupam Kurmi, Mithias Tudu, Anjan Dutta, Nurzamal Sarkar, Dr Nazrul Islam and Pankaj Bora. Ministers of State with Independent charge are: Ripun Bora, Misbahul Islam Laskar, Robin Bordoloi, Wajed Ali Choudhury, Pradyut Bordoloi. Ministers of State are: Himanta Bishwa Sharma, Etuwa Munda, Pranati Phukon, Rakibul Hussain, Rupon Singh Ronghang, Sukur Ali Ahmed, Nilamoni Sen Deka, Dr Ananda Ram Baruah, Smt Ajanta Neog, Smt Sharifa Begum and Pranay Rabha.