43-member Mamata team takes oath amid Governor's dig

The third cabinet of the Mamata Banerjee-led government was sworn in with 43 ministers in a low-key ceremony in Kolkata on Monday (May 10). Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar administered the oath of office and secrecy to the ministers. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was present at the ceremony.

After the swearing-in, the Governor said the state was embroiled in violence after the Assembly elections which concluded on May 2. The Governor said that the real ground situation had been masked and the elected government would have to address the grim reality, as per reports.

The 43 ministers include 19 ministers of state. Among those who have been given cabinet posts include Amit Mitra, who was finance minister in Banerjee’s two previous terms since 2011, but was not given a ticket in the recent elections due to his ill health. The TMC plans to make Mitra a member of the Assembly through a byelection, reports said.

Amit Mitra, Bratya Basu and Rathin Ghosh took oath virtually. While Amit Mitra is unwell, both Basu and Ghosh are recuperating from COVID.

Also read: Mamata: A one-woman army who has rewritten rules of Indian politics

The 24 cabinet ministers include former IPS officer Humayun Kabir, former Bengal Ranji captain Manoj Tiwari and Siuli Saha. Kabir has become minister of state (independent charge) along with nine other persons, while Tiwari and Saha featured on the list of other MLAs who were sworn in as ministers of state.

Other elected legislators —Partha Chatterjee, Subrata Mukherjee, Firhad Hakim and Sadhan Pande —also took oath at the ceremony on Monday.

Among others who are made cabinet ministers include Subrata Mukherjee, Partha Chatterjee, Firhad Hakim, Jyoti Priya Mallick, Moloy Ghatak, Aroop Biswas, Dr Shashi Panja and Javed Ahmed Khan.

Also read: GST dues denial gives Trinamool handle against BJP

Banerjee is scheduled to hold a cabinet meeting at the Secretariat in which she is expected to allot portfolios to ministers. Mamata is the 21st chief minister of West Bengal and 8th person to hold the office.

Sarma sworn in as Assam CM

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Himanta Biswa Sarma was on Monday (May 10) sworn in as the new chief minister of Assam, a day after he was elected as the leader of the BJP’s legislature party in the state. Sarma, who was administered the oath of office by Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi in Guwahati, is the 15th Chief Minister of the state.

Thirteen legislators, including 10 from the BJP, two from Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and one from United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) were also sworn in as ministers.

The ministers of Himanta Biswa Sarma-led cabinet are Ranjeet Kumar Dass (BJP), Atul Bora (AGP), Urkhao Gwra Brahma (UPPL), Parimal Suklabaidya (BJP), Chandra Mohan Patowary (BJP), Keshab Mahanta (AGP), Ranoj Pegu (BJP), Sanjay Kishan (BJP), Jogen Mahan (BJP), Ajanta Neog (BJP), Ashok Singhal (BJP), Pijush Hazarika (BJP), Bimal Bora (BJP).