GUWAHATI — Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday “advised” that
Congress MLAs who are willing to switch sides to join the BJP must wait for a
few months as the Assembly election is due in Assam in 2026.
“The Congress MLAs who are keen to join the BJP must wait
for a few months because it will unnecessarily initiate another by-election in
the state. But the Assembly poll is due in Assam in the next one and a half
year. Therefore, I advised those legislators to wait at least till February
next year,” the Chief Minister told media persons.
However, the Chief Minister also said, “We will see how the
situation will unfold but yes the MLAs who desire to join our party will be
welcomed.”
Meanwhile, the Cabinet gave its nod to create the Barak
Valley Development Department dedicated to opening new avenues for the progress
of the southern Assam region.
An official statement said that to bring the administration
to the doorstep of the citizens and strive for equitable development of Barak
Valley, the Cabinet has approved the creation of the Barak Valley Development
Department.
“The department will benefit the people of Cachar, Sribhumi
and Hailakandi through rapid development and create job opportunities for
support staff,” the statement said.
The Cabinet has accorded approval to the Production Linked
Incentive of Rs 2/litre of ethanol for a period of three years to three
grain-based ethanol manufacturing units also approved to boost farmers' income
and move to cleaner fuel alternatives.
The Cabinet has also approved the Policy of Compensation to
the legal heirs or to the Next of Kin (NOK) of prisoners in cases of unnatural
death.
The Chief Minister wrote on X: “In today's meeting of the
#AssamCabinet after its expansion, we resolved to create a Barak Valley
Development Department; approve financial support to NOKs of deceased
prisoners; and to provide the incentive to ethanol production to 3 units.”
Meanwhile, four ministers Prasanta Phookan, Kaushik Rai,
Krishnendu Paul and Rupesh Goala were also inducted into the Cabinet on
Saturday.
This is the first expansion of the Cabinet since Himanta
Biswa Sarma took the Chief Minister’s post in the state three years ago.
