Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma carried out a major cabinet expansion with 12 ministers taking oath, increasing the strength of his council of ministers to 17. The reshuffle saw four debutants inducted into the cabinet, signaling a fresh mix of experience and new faces in the government. Notably, several former Congress heavyweights who joined the BJP ahead of the elections were left out. The expansion comes amid preparations for key political and governance challenges.