The expansion of the Sarbananda Sonowal ministry in Assam after almost two years has caused resentment among a few Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs.
At least two MLAs – veteran Prasanta Phukan and the BJP’s lone Muslim face Aminul Haque Laskar – have resigned from party committees while another, Atul Bora, resented the party’s “tendency to ignore seniority”.
Mr. Phukan, critical of the BJP leadership, announced his resignation as chief of BJP’s Steering Committee for panchayat elections and the governing body of Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh soon after seven MLAs were sworn-in on Tuesday to take the ministry size to 18.
With 126 seats in the State Assembly, Assam can have 19 ministers at most.
“Since I am not fit to be a minister, I thought I shouldn’t head the two bodies either,” Mr. Phukan, who represents the Dibrugarh Assembly seat, said. Dibrugarh, he said, has not had a minister for 25 years now.
Mr. Laskar, who represents the BJP from the Sonai constituency, said he has resigned from the Haj Committee. “If almost all communities could be represented in the ministry, why should someone from the minority community be left out? Muslims in the State are unhappy as they are not represented in this ministry,” he said.
Mr. Bora, who represents Dispur constituency, said seniors in the party should not be made to feel alienated.
The State’s Finance, Health and Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the resentment among some MLAs was understandable. “Some senior MLAs were ignored in order to fulfil regional aspirations,” he added.
Seven MLAs – five from BJP and one each from regional allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) – were inducted into the Sonowal ministry. Four of them are Cabinet ministers and three Ministers of State with independent charge.
The Cabinet ministers are Phani Bhushan Choudhury (AGP), Siddhartha Bhattacharya (BJP), Sum Ronghang (BJP) and Chandan Brahma (BPF) while the Ministers of State with independent charge are Pijush Hazarika, Bhabesh Kalita and Tapan Gogoi (all from BJP).
Mr. Brahma is a former militant leader and Mr. Gogoi a former student leader.
