- Governor administers oath as Assam Cabinet Minister
Guwahati, 18 October (HS): In a significant political development in Assam, Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) leader Chandan Bodo was inducted into Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma’s cabinet on Saturday, marking BPF’s official return to the ruling NDA alliance.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at Raj Bhavan, where Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya administered the oath of office and secrecy to Bodo. Chief Minister Sarma, BPF Chief and BTC CEM Hagrama Mohilary were also present on the occasion.
Bodo’s induction signifies a major political shift, as the BPF — once a key NDA ally that later joined the opposition — re-enters the state government ahead of the next Assembly elections. The move is seen as a strategic step to strengthen BPF’s role in state politics and governance.
A Cotton College graduate and Gauhati University postgraduate, Bodo is regarded as one of BPF’s promising young leaders. He was first elected from the Mazbat constituency in 2016 and re-elected in 2021. Until now, he had been serving from the opposition benches.
Despite the presence of senior leaders like Durga Das Bodo, the party chose the relatively younger Chandan Bodo, born in 1979, for the ministerial berth — reflecting a generational shift within BPF and its focus on youth representation in governance.
Meanwhile, with the BTC securing a clear majority in the Council elections, political observers are watching closely whether BJP councillors will also find space in the Bodoland Territorial Council government in the coming days.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash
