Guwahati: Four legislators will be sworn in as ministers during the expansion of Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam Cabinet on December 7. The oath-taking ceremony will take place on Saturday at 12 p.m.
Taking to X, Assam CM Sarma on Thursday wrote: “Happy to share that the following colleagues will be sworn in as ministers in our cabinet on 7th December at 12 p.m.”
CM Sarma further shared the names of four MLAs who would join the Cabinet led by him.
1. Prasanta Phookan.
2. Kaushik Rai.
3. Krishnendu Paul.
4. Rupesh Goala.
“My best wishes to each of them!” CM Sarma’s X post read.
This is the first expansion of the Assam Cabinet since Himanta Biswa Sarma took charge of the chief ministerial post three years ago.
In the Cabinet, there are four vacant berths — three have existed since the beginning of Sarma assuming the post of Chief Minister. One position fell vacant after former minister Parimal Suklabaidya won the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Kaushik Rai is said to be the replacement of Parimal Suklabaidya as both of them belong to the same district.
Prasanta Phookan is an MLA from Dibrugarh, while Krishnendu Paul is from Patharkandi Assembly constituency in the Sribhumi district.
Rupesh Goala is a legislator from the Doom Dooma constituency in Tinsukia district.
Both Rai and Gola were elected as MLAs in the 2021 Assembly polls, while Paul won on a BJP ticket twice from the Patharkandi Assembly seat.
Prasanta Phookan is a senior BJP leader and a four-time MLA from Dibrugarh. He has not lost there since the 2006 Assembly election.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was in the national capital for the last few days, and he conducted a Cabinet meeting through virtual mode on Wednesday evening to take a key decision regarding the ban on the consumption of beef in Assam.
Sarma said: “We previously imposed a ban on consumption of beef in an area within 5 km radius of temples and other prayer places. However, now we have decided to extend this restriction and a total ban of consuming beef in public places in Assam is prohibited from today.
“The restriction also includes serving of beef in hotels, restaurants and at any other community festivals in the state. The defaulters will be punished as per the provision laid down under the law,” he added.
(IANS)
