Himanta Govt to Add BPF Minister Ahead of 2026 Polls

• By Thetripurapost Desk, Gwahati
• Oct 17, 2025
• 630

Assam’s political landscape is set for a fresh twist as the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government gears up for a cabinet expansion on Saturday, October 18. A Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) legislator is expected to be sworn in, marking the party’s formal entry into the BJP-led alliance after years of outside support.

The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Raj Bhavan, as confirmed by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations.

“There is one seat vacant in the cabinet. I can confirm the name after reaching the office,” Chief Minister Sarma said on the sidelines of an event, keeping the suspense alive.

The BPF, which recently swept the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections, has been a key regional force in Assam’s western belt. Its inclusion in the cabinet signals a calibrated political move by the BJP to consolidate its foothold in the Bodoland region ahead of next year’s assembly elections.

This will be the fourth and final expansion of the Sarma cabinet before the state goes to polls. The ministry currently comprises 15 BJP ministers, two from the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), and one from the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL).

Speculation is rife that one among the three BPF MLAs will be inducted, a decision that could redefine power equations within the ruling coalition and strengthen BJP’s alliance arithmetic in lower Assam.

Political observers view the move as a strategic outreach to tribal and regional blocs, ensuring stability and wider support for the ruling dispensation in the run-up to the 2026 assembly elections.