Modi 3.0: Sarbananda Sonowal sworn in as Union cabinet minister, Pabitra Margherita as MoS

As Narendra Modi took oath as Prime Minister of India for his historic third term today, marking a significant moment in India’s political landscape, Assam ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Pabitra Margherita from Assam, were also sworn in as Union Cabinet minister and Minister of State in the Modi government respectively.

President Droupadi Murmu officiated the swearing-in ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Lok Sabha member from Dibrugarh in Assam Sarbananda Sonowal was sworn in as Union Cabinet minister on Sunday, June 9.
He was Cabinet Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and of AYUSH.

Sonowal was the 14th Chief Minister of Assam, holding office from 2016 to 2021. He represented the Majuli constituency in the Assam Legislative Assembly from 2016 until his resignation in 2021 and the Moran constituency from 2001 to 2004.

He was the President of the Assam state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from 2012 to 2014 and again from 2015 to 2016. Sonowal also served as the Union Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs from 2014 to 2016 and as the Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Skill Development in 2014. He was a member of the Lok Sabha, representing Lakhimpur from 2014 to 2016 and Dibrugarh from 2004 to 2009. Additionally, he was a member of the Asom Gana Parishad from 2001 to 2011.

While, Rajya Sabha member from Assam Pabitra Margherita was sworn in as Minister of State in the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.

Pabitra joined politics in 2014, becoming an active member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Since then, he has served as the spokesperson for Assam BJP. Additionally, he held the positions of Prabhari of the Social Media Cell, Assam BJP, and Zila Prabhari of Kamrup (North) District BJP.

From 2017 to 2021, he was the Chairman of Jyoti Chitraban, under the Government of Assam. He also served as the Member Secretary of the State Level Advisory Committee for Students and Youth Welfare, Government of Assam, from November 2021 to March 2022. Before his political career, Pabitra Margherita was an actor, with “Mon Jai” being one of his most successful films.