Congress MLAs Keen on Joining BJP Should Wait: Assam CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday advised Congress MLAs seeking to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to wait until early next year, citing the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections   . 

Speaking to the media, the Chief Minister emphasized that such defections would trigger unnecessary by-elections and that the timing should be right.

 “The Assembly elections are due in the next one and a half years. I have advised the Congress MLAs to wait until at least February next year,” Sarma stated. However, he assured that any legislator wishing to join the BJP would be welcomed in due course.

In another significant development, the Assam Cabinet gave its nod for the creation of the Barak Valley Development Department, aimed at accelerating the region’s progress.

The new department is expected to bring administration closer to the people of Cachar, Sribhumi, and Hailakandi, fostering rapid development and generating job opportunities. The initiative reflects the government's commitment to ensuring balanced growth in southern Assam.

The Cabinet also approved a Rs 2 per litre incentive for three grain-based ethanol manufacturing units under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, which is set to run for three years. This move is expected to enhance farmers’ income while promoting cleaner fuel alternatives in the state.

Additionally, the Cabinet introduced a policy for compensating the legal heirs or Next of Kin (NOK) of prisoners who die under unnatural circumstances. This policy aims to provide financial relief and support to families of deceased prisoners.

On the occasion, CM Sarma took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting, stating, “In today's meeting of the #AssamCabinet after its expansion, we resolved to create a Barak Valley Development Department; approve financial support to NOKs of deceased prisoners; and provide an incentive to ethanol production for 3 units.”

The Cabinet also saw the induction of four new ministers—Prasanta Phookan, Kaushik Rai, Krishnendu Paul, and Rupesh Goala—in what marks the first Cabinet expansion since Sarma took office three years ago.