Guwahati, July 6: Former Assam Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday reached Delhi after receiving a ‘call’ from party top leaders to be present in the national capital for what party insiders are claiming to be his likely induction in the Modi cabinet in the ensuing cabinet expansion likely to take place on Wednesday. Similarly, Manipur BJP’s Lok Sabha MP from Inner Manipur constituency, Dr. R.K Ranjan Singh has received a ‘call’ and rushed to New Delhi.
Union Cabinet berth for Sarbananda Sonowal
Former Assam Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal reached Delhi by flight on Tuesday afternoon and speculations have been abuzz that he may be inducted at Modi cabinet and given a plump ministry.
Several positions in the Cabinet are vacant due to the exit of Shiv Sena and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the demise of Ramvilas Paswan of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).
Party insiders indicate that Sonowal’s induction is a ‘done deal’.
A close aide of Sonowal said when the party high command decided to make Himanta Biswa Sarma the new Assam chief Minister, Sonowal was tipped to be give a ‘new responsibility at Centre’.
Sonowal began his political career as president of the All Assam Student Union (AASU) from 1992 to 1999. He then joined the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and was elected to the Assam legislative Assembly on an AGP ticket from the Moran seat in 2001.
He was then elected to the Lok Sabha from the Dibrugarh constituency in 2004.
He again won the 2014 Lok Sabha poll from Lakhimpur Constituency, and inducted as the Union Sports Minister in the 1st term of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister.
Ahead of the 2016 assembly polls, Sonowal was sent back to the state where he was the face for the 2016 Assam polls, when the BJP along with its allies was able to form its first government in the state.
This will be Sonowal’s second inning as a Union minister.
Cabinet Berth for Dr. R.K Ranjan Singh
Manipur BJP sources state that Lok Sabha MP from Inner Manipur constituency, Dr. R.K Ranjan Singh – an environmentalist turned politician – would likely be made a Minister of State. This move, BJP sources claim, relates to the fact that Manipur goes to polls in early 2022. There have been rumblings within the state BJP over leadership of Chief Minister, N. Biren Singh, although the central leadership has kept trust on Mr. Singh, a Congress turn-coat.
The BJP leadership would like to send a message to the voters of Manipur that it takes the state seriously, party sources added.
