Guwahati: The induction of senior BJP leader Prashanta Phukan into the cabinet on Saturday ended a long-drawn murmur in the Assam BJP. The move is seen as an attempt to assuage the veteran's agony of being left out for so long and to appease the tea tribes for the 2026 elections.
After a year of swearing-in, the Himata Biswa Sarma cabinet saw a rejig on Saturday with the induction of four new faces at a function in Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra here. The ministers are Prashanta Phukan, Rupesh Gowala, Krishnendu Pal, and Kaushik Roy. Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya administered the oath of office to the new ministers in the presence of Sarma.
"Congratulations to all my colleagues who have taken oath today. Looking forward to working with them to fulfill Adarniya Shri @narendramodi ji’s vision of a Viksit Assam," Sarma shared from his X handle.
Congratulations to all my colleagues who have taken oath today.
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) December 7, 2024
Looking forward to working with them to fulfill Adarniya Shri @narendramodi ji’s vision of a Viksit Assam.
#Govt4Growth pic.twitter.com/ziJaoq0Ady
End of Wait for Phukan
Phukan has been the BJP MLA from the Dibrugarh constituency since 2006 when BJP was not considered a major force in Assam. The septuagenarian politician was vocal during the Congress regime. Almost everyone assumed he would be made a minister after the BJP assumed power but was surprisingly left out. His name was not even considered when the BJP came to power for the second time in 2021. His inclusion in the cabinet on Saturday ended the prolonged speculations.
Pal and Roy Get Berths from Barak
Until now, MLA Parimal Suklabaidya from Dholai constituency was the BJP face from Barak Valley. The veteran politician held key portfolios like fisheries, excise, transport etc. But in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections he was elected the MP from Silchar constituency and headed to Delhi. In the vacuum, Barak Valley, dominated by the Bengali-speaking community, was certain to get a minister and the name of Patharkandi MLA Pal was doing the rounds. However, according to the list released by Sarma, Lakhipur MLA Roy along with Pal were included in the cabinet as representatives from the valley. Pal was elected the MLA twice, in 2016 and 2021, from the Patharkandi constituency while Roy was the first-time BJP MLA from Lakhipur winning the 2021 assembly elections.
Sanjoy Kishan Goes, Gowala Chips in
On Wednesday, Sarma announced to extend his council of ministers on December 7 by hinting at inducting one or two new faces. Accordingly, it came to light that Sanjoy Kishan, who represents the tea community, will be replaced by BJP MLA and another tea tribe representative, Rupesh Gowala. Kishan resigned days ahead of the reshuffle to make room for Doom Dooma MLA Gowala.
The move is being interpreted by poll pundits as an attempt to appease the tea tribes -- Ahoms and Bengalies-- ahead of the 2026 assembly elections and a bid to assuage Phukan's disappointment.
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