Cabinet reshuffle: Five from Northeast likely to be included in Modi's expanded cabinet

GUWAHATI:

The highly anticipated reshuffle in the Narendra Modi-led cabinet will likely see five representatives from the Northeast getting a cabinet berth this time, as new members are to be sworn in this evening. 

According to reports, with the induction of the five ministers, this will be the highest ever representation from the Northeast since independence.

Reliable sources informed that the Minister of State (MoS) Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju will be retained in the cabinet. 

It was also speculated that MoS food processing  Rameshwar Teli from Assam will also likely be retained. He, however, has a strong contender in BJP MP from Tezpur (Assam), Pallab Lochan Das, a close aide of Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. 

Both Teli and Das are from the tea tribe community of Assam.

New faces from the Northeast, who will likely be part of the new cabinet, include former Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Member of Parliament from Manipur Dr R.K Ranjan Singh, and Member of Parliament from Tripura Pratima Bhowmik.

Bhowmik will be the first-ever union minister from the state of Tripura and the second woman from the Northeast to get a union berth. The first woman from the Northeast to get a cabinet berth was Agatha Sangma, an MP from Tura in Meghalaya. 

"The new cabinet will be one of the most inclusive with a record representation of SC, ST Members," sources informed. 

However, it needs to be seen as to what portfolio the new faces would get in the expanded cabinet and if at all, they get important berths.

(Edited by Shankar Kumar Turha)

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