Silchar, June 5 — Lakhipur MLA Kaushik Rai and Patharkandi MLA Krishnendu Paul are set to be sworn in as ministers on Friday, giving Barak Valley two seats in Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma’s 12‑member Council of Ministers and raising expectations of greater focus on the region’s development needs. The twin inductions are being watched as both political recognition and a potential pivot toward addressing long‑standing issues in southern Assam.
The inclusion of two Valley representatives has generated interest across the region, where observers and residents hope ministerial representation will translate into stronger policy attention to connectivity, welfare delivery, rural infrastructure, institutional expansion and more responsive administration. Ahead of the oath, both leaders thanked the chief minister for his confidence and pledged to work for Assam’s progress.
Kaushik Rai, who previously held the Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs, Mines and Minerals, and Barak Valley Development portfolios, said he had no specific departmental preference. “Whatever responsibility is entrusted to me, I will discharge it sincerely and efficiently. I do not worry about any particular department,” Rai said, adding that his priority would be transparent and dedicated governance from day one. He also pointed to the BJP’s strong showing in the Valley, noting the party won nine of the region’s ten Assembly seats, and political analysts see the ministerial slots as recognition of the area’s electoral importance.
Rai’s return carries developmental weight: during his earlier tenure the Assam Secretariat, Barak Valley, was established and made operational, and Lakhipur saw progress in infrastructure, education and governance projects. Patharkandi’s Krishnendu Paul, who earlier managed the Public Works Department (PMGSY), Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary portfolios, said portfolio allocation was the chief minister’s prerogative and vowed to serve people round the clock. “Whatever responsibility the Chief Minister assigns to me, I will carry it out with sincerity,” he said.
Reflecting on past work, Paul highlighted nearly 10,000 kilometres of rural roads under PMGSY, measures to boost fish production and reduce inter‑state dependence, and efforts to strengthen dairy infrastructure such as the Purabi dairy initiative — all aimed at better connecting remote villages and making key sectors more self‑reliant. He thanked Patharkandi voters for electing him three times; his return is being closely watched in Sribhumi district amid concerns over the condition of National Highways in the border region. The Valley also registered high‑profile developments earlier, including the foundation stone for an Agriculture College at Patharkandi laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Politically, the inductions serve multiple objectives: rewarding electoral performance, strengthening Barak Valley’s voice in state power, and signaling that southern Assam remains central to the BJP’s governance and organisational priorities. For many in the Valley, the new ministerial presence has renewed hopes for faster progress on roads and highways, flood mitigation, welfare delivery, institutional growth and administrative decentralisation — outcomes that residents say they will watch closely.
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/assam/two-cabinet-berths-raise-development-hopes-in-barak-valley-1612388
Category: Assam,Featured
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Publish Date: 2026-06-05 10:49:00
