Guwahati: Eighteen Ministers of the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress-Bodoland People's Progressive Front (Hagrama) coalition in Assam were sworn in here on Friday by Governor Ajai Singh. Seventeen of them are of Cabinet rank while one is a Minister of State with independent charge.

The BPPF (Hagrama) has two Cabinet Ministers, Pramila Rani Brahma and Chandan Brahma. The party's Rihon Daimari is the lone Minister of State. The three Ministers took their oath in Bodo language.

The 15 Congress ministers are Bhumidhar Barman, Prithibi Majhi, Bharat Narah, Gautom Roy, Dinesh Prasad Gowala, Khorsing Ingti, Nurjamal Sarkar, Nazrul Islam, Gautom Bora, Ripun Bora, Pradyut Bordoloi, Pranab Gogoi, Himanta Biswa Sharma, Rockybul Hussain and Ajanta Neog.

All of them except Mr. Majhi, Speaker in the last Assembly, and Mr. Ingti were members of the previous Gogoi Ministry. Mr. Roy took the oath in Bengali, Mr. Gowala in Hindi and Mr. Ingti in English, while the others took their oaths in Assamese.

Oath in a wheelchair

Mr. Pranab Gogoi, who had fractured his right leg, took the oath seated in a wheelchair. The Governor came down the dais to congratulate him.

Apart from Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh attended the ceremony held in the Pragjyoti auditorium here.

Mahillary present

BPPF (Hagrama) president Hagrama Mahillary and elected members of the Assam United Democratic Front, led by their leader Badaruddin Ajmal, were also present.

Mr. Gogoi, who took the oath on May 14, told reporters that portfolios would be allocated by Monday, first to the three Ministers of the coalition partner and later to the Congress members.

Three senior members in the previous Gogoi Ministry, who have been dropped, are Sarat Barkatoki, Rameswar Dhanowar and Govinda Chandra Langthasa.

On his exclusion, Mr. Barkatoki said: "It is as per the wishes of the high command. Ministry formation is the prerogative of the Chief Minister."

On reports that Mr. Gogoi might make him Deputy Chairman of the State Planning Board, Mr. Barkatoki said he was yet to receive the offer.

Mr. Dhanowar, who was elected to the Assembly for the seventh term, said he had been offered chairmanship of a public sector undertaking but he was yet to decide on taking up the post.

Sources said Mr. Gogoi might appoint a few ministerial aspirants Parliamentary Secretaries, who would enjoy the rank of Minister of State.

Ms. Pramila Rani Brahma and Mr. Chandan Brahma said they had sought two portfolios each for the three Bodo Ministers: Home, Plain Tribes and Backward Classes, Agriculture, Public Works Department, Transport and Revenue.

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