GUWAHATI, Jan 22 � Of the 14 Ministers of the State being sworn in tomorrow morning at the Raj Bhawan here, eleven are expected to be full-fledged Cabinet Ministers.
Disclosing this, highly places sources told this newspaper today that the other three Ministers to be sworn in tomorrow will be given the Minister of State status. Former Ministers of State Basanta Das and Ajit Singh will be elevated to Cabinet rank, sources said.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who has already finalised the portfolios of the new members of his Ministry, is learnt to have consulted his party in this respect.
Significantly, the party leadership has openly come out with the announcement that it will not tolerate dissidence within the party this time.
It needs mention that four posts of ministers in the Ministry have been kept vacant by the Chief Minister and these posts are expected to be filled up after the polls to the civic bodies scheduled for next month.
It needs mention here that the Chief Minister in his bid to reshuffle his Ministry dropped Prithivi Majhi, Gautam Roy, Tanka Bahadur Rai, Pradyut Bordoloi, Nilamani Sen Deka, Pranati Phukan, Akan Bora and Rajiv Lochan Pegu from his Cabinet.
He decided to form his new Ministry with Dr Bhumidhar Barman, Sarat Barkotoky, Rockybul Hussain, Dr Nazrul Islam, Ajanta Neog, Giridnra Mallik, Chandan Sarkar, Sukur Ali, Bismita Gogoi, Sumitra Patir, Atowa Munda, Ajit Singh and Basanta Das.
