Guwahati: The number of women MLAs in the
126-member 13th Assam assembly will be 15, two more than in
the outgoing House, with five of them making it to the House
for the first time.
The ruling Congress, winning 78 seats in the just
concluded polls, will have the highest number of 12 women
legislators while its alliance partner Bodoland Peoples` Front
(BPF) has two and AIUDF one representative respectively.
Seven sitting MLAs, five from the ruling Congress and
two from its ally BPF, have retained their seats and this
includes Deputy Speaker Pranati Phukan from Naharkatiya, PWD
Minister Ajanta Neog from Golaghat and Agriculture Minister
Pramila Rani Brahma from Kokrajhar (East).
Four of the 13 sitting MLAs in the last legislature
failed to retain their seats. They are Congress`s Dr
Malaya Barman from Pathacharkuchi and Uttara Kalita along with
AGP`s Alaka Desai Sarma from Nalbari and Sushila Hazarika from
Dergaon.
The other women sitting MLAs to return are Jibontara
Ghatowar (Moran), Jonjonali Baruah (Morigaon) and Sumitra
Patir (Dhemaji-ST)--all from the Congress along with BPF`s
Kamali Basumatary (Panery).
Rumi Nath from Barkhola retained her seat for the
ruling party which she had won as a BJP candidate in 2006.
She had joined BJP after being expelled from Congress.
Among the five new entrants, four are from the ruling
Congress and one from AIUDF, which has won a total of 18 seats
in the just concluded polls.
PTI
