Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday (June 5) administered the oath of office to 12 Members of the Assam Legislative Assembly, expanding the state cabinet as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)‑led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) consolidates power after its landslide victory in the recent Assembly polls. The swearing‑in ceremony brings the total strength of the council to 17, including the chief minister.

12 ministers, including three newcomers

The ministers sworn in were-

  • Ashwini Ray Sarkar (BJP, Golakganj) – A first-time minister from north Assam’s Golakganj, representing the Koch Rajbongshi community; he brings fresh representation to the expanded cabinet.
  • Ashok Singhal (BJP, Dhekiajuli) – MLA from Dhekiajuli in northern Assam and a BJP veteran, he returns to the ministry after serving in CM Sarma’s earlier cabinet.
  • Bimal Borah (BJP, Tingkhong) – BJP MLA from Tingkhong in Upper Assam, he is a returning minister with experience in the previous CM Sarma cabinet.
  • Biswajit Daimary (BJP, Tamulpur) – Former Speaker of the Assam Assembly and BJP MLA from Tamulpur, he re-enters the ministry as a new face with strong legislative experience.
  • Jayant Mallabaruah (BJP, Nalbari) – BJP MLA from Nalbari in central Assam and a returning minister, he continues with the Sarma government after serving in the first cabinet.
  • Kaushik Rai (BJP, Lakhipur) – BJP MLA from Lakhipur in Barak Valley, he is a returning minister and will represent the Barak Valley region alongside Krishnendu Paul.
  • Keshab Mahanta (AGP, Kaliabor) – Veteran Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leader and MLA from Kaliabor, he had served in the previous NDA ministry and now returns to the cabinet as the ally’s representative.
  • Krishnendu Paul (BJP, Patharkandi) – BJP MLA from Patharkandi in southern Assam, he is a returning minister who will jointly represent Barak Valley with Kaushik Rai.
  • Nilima Devi (BJP, Mangaldai) – BJP MLA from Mangaldai and a first-time minister, she is one of only two women in the expanded cabinet.
  • Pijush Hazarika (BJP, Jagiroad) – BJP MLA from Jagiroad in central Assam and a returning minister, he continues in the council after serving in Sarma’s first cabinet.
  • Ranoj Pegu (BJP, Dhemaji) – BJP MLA from Dhemaji in Upper Assam and a member of the Mising tribe, he is a returning minister with a focus on tribal and education-related portfolios.
  • Susanta (Sushanta) Borgohain- (BJP, Demow) – BJP MLA from Demow in Upper Assam and a member of the Ahom community, he is a new face in the cabinet and brings regional and ethnic representation.

The induction includes three new faces — Ashwini Ray Sarkar, Nilima Devi and Susanta Borgohain — all from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

“I am pleased to announce that the following Hon’ble Members of the Assam Legislative Assembly will be sworn in as Cabinet Ministers in the Government of Assam on 5 June 2026 at 12:45 PM,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma earlier said in an X post announcing the list.

Cabinet size, party composition and vacant slots

With Friday’s induction, the cabinet’s strength rises to 17. Four ministers- AGP’s Atul Bora, BPF’s Charan Boro and BJP’s Ajanta Neog and Rameswar (Rameshwar) Teli- were sworn in earlier on May 12 when CM Sarma took oath for a second consecutive term. The maximum permitted strength of the Council of Ministers in Assam is 19, leaving two ministerial slots vacant for the time being.

The expanded ministry comprises 13 BJP ministers, two from the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and one from the Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF), reflecting the NDA’s dominant mandate in the Assembly.

Representation across regions and communities

The new cabinet retains regional and ethnic balance, with members drawn from different parts of the state and several communities. Barak Valley has two representatives- Kaushik Rai and Krishnendu Paul- while the Bodo community is represented by BPF’s Charan Boro and BJP’s Biswajit Daimary (the latter having served as Speaker in the previous assembly). Other community representation includes Ranoj Pegu from the Mising tribe, Ashwini Ray Sarkar from the Koch Rajbongshi community and Susanta Borgohain from the Ahom community.

Geographical spread among the ministers includes leaders from Upper Assam (Borgohain and Borah), Lower Assam (Jayant Mallabaruah), Central Assam (Pijush Hazarika) and Northern Assam (Ashok Singhal).

Continuity and re‑appointments

Several ministers from Sarma’s previous cabinet have been retained- Ashok Singhal, Ranoj Pegu, Bimal Borah, Jayant Mallabaruah, Kaushik Rai, Krishnendu Paul and Pijush Hazarika were all members of the earlier ministry. AGP’s Keshab Mahanta, who served in the previous NDA ministry, has also been included.

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Women’s representation unchanged

The cabinet will now have two women ministers, Ajanta Neog and Nilima Devi, keeping women’s representation unchanged from the previous ministry. The swearing‑in follows the BJP‑led NDA’s emphatic victory in the Assembly elections, where the alliance secured 102 of the 126 seats, with the BJP alone winning 82 seats. The AGP and BPF each won 10 seats. Sarma was sworn in as chief minister on May 12 at a grand ceremony in Guwahati that the state BJP described as the start of the “NDA 3.0 era” in Assam.

Prior engagements and government priorities
Ahead of the cabinet expansion, Chief Minister Sarma met President Droupadi Murmu to brief her on Assam’s rapid economic growth and the state government’s development roadmap. The expansion comes as the new government pushes initiatives to strengthen economic growth, attract investment and improve public services across the state.

With two ministerial slots still available and a mix of continuity and fresh faces, the Himanta Biswa Sarma government appears positioned to pursue its stated development agenda while managing coalition dynamics within the NDA in Assam.

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