Ranjit Dutta

Ranjit Dutta (born 24 January 1957) is an Indian politician from the state of Assam. He is presently a Member of Parliament since 2024.^[1] He was a minister in the Sarbananda Sonowal-led government from 2016 to 2021.^[2][3][4]

Ranjit Dutta
Dutta in 2016
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
Incumbent
Assumed office 2024
Preceded by	Pallab Lochan Das
Constituency	Tezpur, Assam
Cabinet Minister, Government of Assam
In office 24 May 2016 – 10 May 2021
Chief Minister	Sarbananda Sonowal
Portfolios	Sericulture Handloom and Textiles Irrigation (2016–2018) Welfare of Minorities (2018–2021)
Preceded by	Bismita Gogoi (Sericulture, Handloom and Textiles) Chandan Kumar Sarkar (Irrigation) Sarbananda Sonowal (Minorities Welfare)
Succeeded by	Urkhao Gwra Brahma (Sericulture, Handloom and Textiles) Bhabesh Kalita (Irrigation) Chandra Mohan Patowary (Minorities Welfare)
President, Assam Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party
In office 2010–2012
Succeeded by	Sarbananda Sonowal
Member, Assam Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office 19 May 2016
Preceded by	Pallab Lochan Das
Constituency	Behali
In office 2001–2011
Succeeded by	Pallab Lochan Das
Constituency	Behali
Personal details
Born	(1957-01-24) 24 January 1957 (age 68) Hatibondha, Biswanath district, Assam
Political party	Bharatiya Janata Party
Spouse	Gita Dutta ​ (m. 1991)​
Parent(s)	Kuladhar Dutta (Father) Labanya Dutta (Mother)
Alma mater	Darrang College

Early life and education

Dutta was born in Hatibondha, Biswanath. His late father was Kuladhar Dutta and his late mother was Labanya Dutta. He completed his higher Secondary from Darrang College, Tezpur in the year 1974.^[5]

Political career

Dutta served as an MLA of Behali Assembly constituency representing the Bharatiya Janata Party from 2001 to 2011 and for another two terms in 2016 and 2021 before he resigned and contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.

In 2001, he obtained 33,348 votes, 50.65% of the total vote in the election. He defeated the incumbent congress MLA, Barnabash Tanti, who had been serving for the past 10 years, by 13,529 votes.^[6]

He retained the seat in the 2006 Assam Legislative Assembly election. He polled 28,633 votes and defeated his nearest opponent, a Congress candidate, by 8979 votes.^[6]

In the 2011 Assam Legislative Assembly election, he received 22662 votes, 28.02% of the total vote, but lost to Congress candidate and future Lok Sabha MP Pallab Lochan Das, by 18136 votes.

In the 2016 Assam Legislative Assembly election, he regained the Behali seat as a BJP candidate. He received 52152 votes, 56.2% of the total vote and defeated his nearest opponent, a congress candidate, by 23601 votes.^[6]

He was inducted into the Sonowal cabinet as minister for handloom, welfare of minorities, textiles and sericulture. He was sworn in as a cabinet minister on 24 May 2016 at Guwahati.^[7][8][9]

In the 2021 Assam Legislative Assembly election, he sought reelection. He received 53583 votes, 50.93% of the total vote. He defeated his nearest opponent by 29839 votes. He was not inducted into the Sarma Ministry.

In 2024, he won from the Sonitpur Lok Sabha constituency representing the Bharatiya Janata Party.^[10]

Personal life

Dutta married Gita Dutta on 1 May 1991. They have one son and one daughter. Dutta has a special interest in social service.He has nephews and nieces named Rituraj Boruah, Anamika Boruah, Kunal Raj Dutta Boruah, and Rahul Raj Dutta Boruah.^[3]