Mahanta to expand Cabinet to keep dissident Bora at bay

“Bora is no threat to the ministry. Nobody is supporting him, not even Bhrigu Phukan,” the CM claimed.

Bora, the senior-most AGP general secretary had on Monday last tendered his resignation as minister after Mahanta shifted him from public works department to forest. Bora said he was insulted and humiliated by the reshuffle.

It is interesting to note that Atul Bora is the second senior member of the AGP to have been sidelined by Mahanta during the past one year, the previous one being Bhrigu Kumar Phukan, who was suspended from the partyfor six years, last year.

Justifying the reshuffle, Mahanta said PWD and elementary and secondary education were two departments which have been criticised the most during the past two years, adding that the two departments were the most-discussed departments in the Assembly too.

While Mahanta has accepted the resignation of Bora, three times MLA from Dispur constituency, he also dropped Jatin Mali, minister for elementary and secondary education after the latter lashed out at the Chief Minister for shifting him to higher education.

“The departments under Bora and Mali have failed to deliver the goods, and the government has received the highest complaints against these two departments,” Mahanta added.

When asked whether Phukan will now side with Bora against Mahanta, the CM replied in the negative, in the process putting the blame of Phukan’s sidelining on Bora.

It was under pressure from Bora that Phukan was not allowed to speak in an important party rally here in January, 1996, Mahanta said,apparently to ensure that Bora and Phukan do not get together against him.

Mahanta however refused to concede that the proposed expansion of his ministry was aimed at containing dissidence. “An expansion is long overdue,” he said, pointing out that the government had already completed two years in office.

The Bora camp however is waiting for the return of Phukan from Delhi, with a Bora aide saying that the two had already had several rounds of telephonic discussions about the situation.

Phukan on his part is stated to have said that he and Bora were on the same plane as far as removing Mahanta from the leadership is concerned.

Meanwhile, Mahanta is caught in a dilemma centering around the proposed ministry expansion with several MLAs demanding cabinet berths taking advantage of the situation.