ASSAM: MINISTRY EXPANSION LIKELY ON APRIL 9

Assam will see an expansion of council of ministers on April 9 as Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is likely to induct six ministers with one member each from Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People's Front and four MLAs from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

According to BJP party insiders, Jagiroad constituency MLA Pijush Hazarika and Gauhati East legislator Siddhartha Bhattacharya, both from the BJP are likely to make the mark. Former All Assam Students' Union president and Sonari MLA Tapan Kumar Gogoi from the BJP is also likely to be sworn in as a minister.

While it is not clear who the fourth member of BJP. AGP MLA from Barpeta Phani Bhushan Choudhury and BPF MLA Chandan Brahma from Sidli constituency are likely to get ministerial berths.

It may be mentioned that the Sonowal government was sworn in on May 25, 2016 and this would be the first expansion of the ministry the state would witness after the BJP government came to power.