Former Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was inducted into Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new Cabinet on Wednesday.
Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reposing faith in him, Sonowal said he is also grateful to the people of Assam for their love and support during his long public life.
"I will work with all sincerity and dedication and for the welfare of the people. It is a big responsibility and I seek cooperation from everyone in my new journey," he told reporters soon after taking oath as a union cabinet minister in the Modi government.
Sonowal, 58, thanked the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President J P Nadda for choosing him to serve the nation in a new capacity.
"I am particularly grateful to the Prime Minister for giving five ministerial berth to the Northeastern region," he said.
Sonowal was chief minister of the BJP-led Assam government from 2016 till last month. Even though the BJP-led alliance returned to power, Sonowal was not made chief minister and was replaced by Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Sonowal was the Union sports minister in the Modi government from 2014 to 2016, before taking charge as the chief minister of Assam.
He had earlier served as Union Minister of State (Independent charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship; and Sports and Youth Affairs under PM Narendra Modi.
Starting in student politics, he has been in public life for 3 decades. Sonowal has an LLB from Guwahati University.
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