Outgoing ministers’ nameplates removed, new signages installed: Bengal Assembly prepares for new cabinet
Following the conclusion of the West Bengal Assembly elections and the transition towards a new government, the State Legislative Assembly is undergoing a visible transformation, with officials and staffers working in full swing to prepare the premises for an inaugural cabinet meeting likely after the swearing-in ceremony on Saturday. While formal confirmation on the cabinet […]
Preparations underway for the swearing-in, at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata on Thursday. (Photo: Partha Paul) Following the conclusion of the West Bengal Assembly elections and the transition towards a new government, the State Legislative Assembly is undergoing a visible transformation, with officials and staffers working in full swing to prepare the premises for an inaugural cabinet meeting likely after the swearing-in ceremony on Saturday.
While formal confirmation on the cabinet meeting is still pending, the state administration has initiated a formal protocol for the removal of official nameplates of the outgoing MLAs and ministers to make way for the newly elected representatives.
Maintenance teams and the Public Works Department have been deployed to sanitise chambers, which includes the installation of new signage and updating the furniture.
The iconic red-brick Writers’ Buildings, which served as the state administrative headquarters since 1780 and served as the seat of power for the East India Company, is also undergoing large-scale renovation, with the BJP reiterating its commitment to returning the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) to this historic site.
Although the state government had earlier sanctioned Rs 200 crore for restoration of the 240-year-old structure, only Blocks 1 and 2 are considered fit for immediate use, with the second floor likely to temporarily house the CMO, while restoration work of the original first-floor chambers is underway.
As Nabanna, the 14-story building in Howrah was serving as the state secretariat since 2013, the Assembly’s recently inaugurated annex building is also being prepared to host the new ministers and potentially serve as a temporary base for the CMO. However, there is yet to be an official announcement.
The shift marks a significant departure from the previous seat of governance as the TMC moved the CMO to Nabanna citing the need for renovation at the Writers’ Building.
“We maintained in 2021 that a BJP government would operate from the Writers’ Buildings. I announced this during the election campaign this year too,” state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya had earlier said, adding, “Official announcements regarding the immediate post-swearing-in plans will be made at the appropriate time and the final decision will be taken by the new chief minister.”
Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand has already inspected the Writers’ Building site to review security arrangements and monitor the progress of the PWD’s work. Once a sprawling complex of 4.5 lakh square feet, the restructured Writers’ Building now offers about 2.5 lakh square feet of workspace, which officials believe is enough to accommodate the Chief Minister’s Office and up to 10 primary departments.
Earlier on Monday, the corridors of Nabanna heard chants of “Jai Shree Ram” raised by a section of employees and onlookers, in the immediate aftermath of the election results.
Employees were seen gathered in groups, discussing the poll mandate and the implications for the state administration.
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