Denied party ticket twice and now Assam’s Finance Minister: Jayanta Mallabaruah scripts a dramatic turnaround

On June 8, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced portfolios for the newly constituted 12‑member council of ministers after receiving the governor’s approval, assigning Jayanta Mallabaruah the important Finance portfolio along with Environment & Forest, and Mines & Minerals.

A long‑time presence in Assam politics, Jayanta Mallabaruah first entered the state assembly as an Indian National Congress legislator from Nalbari in 2011. He crossed over to the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2015 with several senior leaders, including CM Sarma, and gradually rose within the party ranks. The BJP denied him a ticket in the 2016 assembly elections, a setback that might have derailed a lesser political career. 

Baruah had also hoped to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha election, but the party denied him a ticket. Many then saw it as the end of his political journey. Instead, he staged a remarkable comeback. His elevation as finance minister now underlines the confidence Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma places in him, and marks a striking turnaround for a leader once written off..

His political journey has not been without turbulence. In 2025, allegations surfaced over subsidies awarded to a dairy venture linked to his family, triggering complaints from opposition parties and civic organisations. The controversy, widely reported and politically charged, centred on claims of conflict of interest and the propriety of government support to a firm tied to a minister’s household. Mallabaruah defended the venture’s eligibility and the transparency of the subsidy process, saying the scheme had more available support than applicants and rejecting suggestions of wrongdoing. The matter drew intense scrutiny, with critics calling it symptomatic of governance lapses, while his defenders argued the episode was politicised.

Despite the controversy, official records and subsequent reporting indicated the firm’s position cleared enough for Mallabaruah to continue his political trajectory. His 2026 electoral performance underscored that recovery: he retained the Nalbari seat with 1,18,611 votes, defeating the Congress candidate Ashok Kumar Sarma by a margin of 60,101 votes, a decisive mandate that reinforced his standing in the state BJP.

The new cabinet allocation places Mallabaruah at the centre of Assam’s fiscal and environmental policymaking. Entrusted with Finance, he will play a leading role in budget formulation and expenditure priorities as the state pursues growth and social programmes. Holding Environment & Forest and Mines & Minerals positions gives him oversight of critical resource management issues, balancing conservation goals with development imperatives in a state with sensitive ecosystems and active extractive industries.

Chief Minister Sarma, while distributing portfolios, expressed confidence in the cabinet’s capacity to accelerate Assam’s progress. The wider ministry team includes Ashok Singhal (Health & Family Welfare; Medical Education & Research), Ranoj Pegu (School and Higher Education; Tribal Affairs (Plain); Information Technology), Pijush Hazarika (Agriculture; Irrigation; Parliamentary Affairs), and Keshab Mahanta (Revenue & Disaster Management; Science, Technology & Climate Change; General Administration), among others. The distribution reflects the government’s priorities across health, education, agriculture, industry and resource governance.

Mallabaruah’s new responsibilities will test his administrative skills and political judgement. Managing the Finance portfolio demands clear fiscal strategy, resources for public services, and credibility with stakeholders. At the same time, Environment & Forests and Mines & Minerals require sensitive handling of conservation, livelihoods, and regulatory fairnes.

From being overlooked for a ticket in 2016 and 2019 and weathering intense criticism over dairy farming, Jayanta Mallabaruah has moved to a role that positions him among Assam’s most influential policymakers. How effectively he translates electoral mandate into policy outcomes will shape his political legacy in the coming years.