Guwahati: The All India United Democratic
Front (AIUDF), the second largest party with 18 seats, is
trying to bring in three more MLAs to its fold so that it can
have its own Leader of Opposition in the 13th Assam Assembly.
"Since we have three members less than the required 21
to have the Leader of Opposition, we are trying to bring in
three like-minded elected members to our party fold to meet
the gap," AIUDF President Badruddin Ajmal told reporters here
on Sunday.
AGP President Chandramohan Patowary was the Leader of
Opposition for four years followed by former Chief Minister
Prafulla Kumar Mahanta during the last year. The AGP won ten
seats and the BJP only five.
Principal Secretary of Assam Assembly secretariat,
Gauranga Prasad Das said that as of now no opposition party
could claim the post of the Leader of Opposition.
"Similar situation arose in 1991 when the AGP had only
19 MLAS. But the problem was solved when the `Natun Asom Gana
Parishad` merged with the AGP and together they had 21 seats,"
he said.
PTI
