Himanta expands cabinet, snubs five-time legislator

GUWAHATI :  Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday expanded his 13-month-old ministry by inducting two MLAs of his party into it. The BJP leader also effected a reshuffle of the ministerial portfolios. 

Jayanta Malla Baruah, a two-time Nalbari MLA, and debutant Nandita Garlosa, who was elected from the Haflong seat, were appointed as Cabinet ministers. They were administered the oath of office and secrecy at an event held at the Sankardev Kalakshetra here. Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi, Sarma and his Cabinet colleagues attended the ceremony.Baruah, who was Sarma’s political secretary, was given the portfolios of tourism; public health engineering and skill; employment and entrepreneurship.

Garlosa is the new power minister. She was also given the portfolios of cooperation; mines and minerals; and indigenous and tribal faith and cultural department. Sarma snubbed five-time MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi who represents the Mariani constituency. Even as Kurmi was pinning hopes on making it to the ministry, the sleuths of the chief minister’s Vigilance Cell apparently “raided” some places in his constituency in connection with alleged anomalies in the utilisation of MLA funds from 2012 to 2022.

Turncoat MLA had won on Cong ticket 4 times
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma snubbed five-time MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi. Just months after winning the polls for the fourth straight term on the Congress’ ticket last year, Kurmi had defected to the BJP, necessitating a by-election that he contested successfully. Three more ministerial berths are lying vacant, and BJP sources said they would be filled soon. Currently, the ministry has a strength of 16, including the CM.