The more-than two year-old reshuffle drama is likely to come to an end on Monday with Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi calling a meeting with the Council of Ministers at his official residence at Koinadhara on Monday. Gogoi is likely to ask the Ministers to resign in the meeting of Council of Ministers on Monday so that he can affect a reshuffle. The meeting is scheduled at 5 pm on Monday.
Sources in the Congress said that the Chief Minister has received the green signal from the party high command over the reshuffle and that the AICC leadership has already approved a list of those Congress leaders, who would be accommodated in the new Ministry, which will be constituted soon. Sources in the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) said that at least eight Ministers from the present Ministry will be dropped while a few young and new faces as well as senior Congress leaders will be accommodated in the new Ministry.
“The criteria, which is adopted by the AICC for the reshuffle is the performance in the last lok Sabha elections. Those Ministers who failed to garner more votes in the last lok Sabha polls will be axed,” sources said. Those who are likely to be dropped includes Industries and Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi, labour and Employment Minister Prithivi Majhi, PHE Minister Gautam Roy, Agriculture Minister Nilomoni Sen Deka, Planning and development Minister Tanka Bahadur Rai, Minister for cultural affairs Pranati Phukan and social welfare Minister Akon Bora, the sources said.
Veteran Congress leaders like Bhumidhar Barman and former Minister Sarat Barkotoky are likely to get a Cabinet berth in the new Ministry to be constituted by the Chief Minister. Names of Chandan Sarkar, Etowa Munda, Girindra Mallick, Sukur Ali, Bismita Gogoi, Sumitra Patir are also doing the rounds for inclusion in the new Ministry. Sources said that Food and Civil Supplies Minister Nazrul Islam and Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain are likely to be given new portfolios after the reconstitution.