Guwahati, Dec 5 The Himanta Biswa Sarma government in Assam was likely to expand its cabinet on Saturday and awaiting a nod from the central leadership.
According to a senior BJP leader, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will discuss with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief J. P. Nadda on the sidelines of the oath-taking ceremony of Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government in Mumbai on Thursday evening.
CM Sarma said that he has already sent a list of his choice of ministers to the central leadership of the BJP and now they have to give a nod regarding this.
In the cabinet, there are four vacant berths - three existed since the beginning of Sarma taking the post of Chief Minister, and one position fell vacant after former minister Parimal Suklabaidya won this year's Lok Sabha polls in the state.
Meanwhile, CM Sarma has hinted that the expansion will be small and there are fewer chances of dropping some of the current ministers in the cabinet.
The Chief Minister was in the national capital for the last few days and he conducted a cabinet meeting through virtual mode on Wednesday evening to take a key decision regarding the ban on consumption of beef in Assam.
CM Sarma said, "We previously imposed a ban on the consumption of beef in an area within a kilometre radius of temples and other prayer places. However, now we have decided to extend this restriction and a total ban on consuming beef in public places in Assam from today."
"The restriction also includes serving beef in hotels, restaurants and at any other community festivals in the state. The defaulters will be punished as per the provision laid down under the law," he added.
The Chief Minister also took a swipe at the Congress party and said, "Some of the Congress leaders including the state president have spoken about banning beef consumption in the state. We already had a strict law regarding this; however, the matter was thoroughly discussed in today's cabinet meeting and we have come up with a blanket ban on consuming beef in public places across the state."
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