In this major reshuffle, Mahmora legislator Jogen Mohan and Tinsukia legislator Sanjoy Kishan were sworn in as ministers in Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s ministry.

The swearing-in ceremony for their induction was be held at the Raj Bhavan, Guwahati on January 18th, 2020.

With these two fresh inductions, the Sonowal’s ministry will have 18 members. In the 44-month old Sonowal government, 12 of the ministers are from the BJP and alliance partners – Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People’s Front- have three members each.

Including the chief minister, Assam’s council of ministers can have a maximum of 19 members. The remaining single berth is likely to be filled ahead of the Assembly Elections in 2021.

The induction of the two Upper Assam MLAs in Sonowal’s ministry comes at a time when the state is witnessing non-stop protests against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, especially in Upper Assam.

Kishan hails from the tea tribe community whereas, Mohan represents the Ahom community. The new minister have replaced Pallab Lochan Das, from the tea community, and Tapan Gogoi, an Ahom, who were elected to the Lok Sabha last year from Tezpur and Jorhat parliamentary constituencies.

Photo: @jyotishpawanbordoloi