Assam Chief Minister-designate Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the new BJP-led NDA government in the state is likely to have around 18 to 19 ministers in the council of ministers.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the oath-taking ceremony scheduled for May 12, Sarma said discussions regarding the final composition of the cabinet are still underway and no names have been finalised yet.

“There may be around 18-19 ministers, but whether we include new faces or retain experienced ones will depend on the guidance we receive,” Sarma said while responding to questions on cabinet formation.

The swearing-in ceremony of the new Assam government will take place at the Veterinary College ground in Guwahati. Sarma is set to begin his second consecutive term as chief minister after the BJP-led NDA secured a sweeping victory in the Assam Assembly elections.

The NDA won 102 seats in the 126-member Assam Assembly, paving the way for the alliance to form the government for a third straight term in the state.

Sarma also said the new government would continue focusing on Assam’s welfare and development over the next five years, adding that the alliance had received a strong public mandate in the elections.

The Supreme Court on Monday asked former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and several leaders of the All India Trinamool Congress to file fresh petitions regarding constituencies where the number of deleted voters during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process allegedly exceeded the winning margin in the recent Assembly elections.

The matter is linked to the controversial SIR exercise conducted before the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Opposition parties, especially the TMC, have repeatedly alleged that large-scale deletions from electoral rolls affected the outcome in several closely contested seats.

During the hearing, the Supreme Court reportedly advised the petitioners to move fresh pleas focused on specific constituencies where the disputed deletions were higher than the victory margin. The court’s remarks could pave the way for a closer judicial review of election results in those seats.

The Special Intensive Revision became one of the biggest political flashpoints ahead of the Bengal polls. The exercise led to the removal of a significant number of names from voter lists, triggering allegations from opposition parties that eligible voters had been disenfranchised.

The BJP secured a historic victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections, forming the government in the state for the first time. However, the opposition has continued to question the fairness of the electoral process and the impact of the SIR exercise on poll outcomes.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday said that welfare schemes launched during the previous Trinamool Congress government, including the popular Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, will continue under the new BJP administration in the state.

Addressing concerns over the future of state welfare programmes after the BJP formed its first government in Bengal, Adhikari said his administration does not plan to discontinue benefits being received by people under existing schemes.

The Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, introduced during the tenure of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, provides financial assistance to women from eligible households across the state and had become one of the Trinamool Congress government’s flagship welfare programmes.

Adhikari recently took oath as Bengal’s first BJP chief minister after the party secured a major victory in the 2026 Assembly elections.

The BJP leadership has been attempting to assure voters that welfare initiatives benefiting citizens will remain operational despite the change in government.