GUWAHATI, May 23 - The change of regime at Dispur will not only lead to changes in the official residences of the elected representatives and in the seats occupied by various parties inside the Legislative Assembly office, but also in the offices allotted to the political parties in the Assembly complex.
Taking into account the number of seats secured by various parties in the recent polls, the offices allotted to their respective legislature parties are also scheduled to be changed.
Mrigendra Kumar Deka, Principal Secretary of the Assam Legislative Assembly, said today that the room which was with the Congress Legislature Party will now be given to the new BJP Legislature Party on account of the change in numbers of MLAs of both the parties.
The number of BJP MLAs has increased to 60 this time as compared to five in 2011, while that of the Congress has fallen from 78 to 26.
However, there will be no change in the offices allotted to the legislature parties of the AGP and the BPF, who will continue to occupy their old ones.
The office occupied by the BJP in the 13th Legislative Assembly will be expanded by amalgamating the room next door and the bigger accommodation will be allotted to the AIUDF Legislature Party.
The Congress Legislature Party will be this time allotted the office occupied by the AIUDF in the previous Assembly.
Deka said that the Governor dissolved the 13th Assam Legislative Assembly on May 21 and the announcement regarding constitution of the 14th Assam Legislative Assembly by the election department is expected any time.
The first session of the new Assembly is expected in the beginning of June. The term of the 14th Assembly will begin formally from the first day of the inaugural session.
�It will be a short session and among its business will be the Governor�s address, taking of oath by newly elected members and election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker,� Deka said, adding that a pro-tem Speaker will conduct the session till election of the new Speaker.
Unlike the 13th Assembly, there will be a recognised Leader of the Opposition this time as the Congress, the biggest opposition party, has 26 MLAs. Last time, the AIUDF, with 18 MLAs, was the biggest opposition group but it was short of the minimum 21 seats required to get the Leader of the Opposition status.
The leader of the Congress Legislature Party will be the Leader of the Opposition.
Deka said outgoing Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, outgoing Speaker Pranab Gogoi and other former ministers will be given seats in the front row on the left side of the Speaker.
Regarding allocation of official residences to the newly elected members, Deka said the General Administration Department (GAD) is on the job. �Allocations are still not final and work is going on,� he said.
Many of the outgoing MLAs have already vacated their quarters and some others are in the process of doing so.
