For the first time in 70 years, Congress party members were pushed back to the second row in the State Legislative Assembly while the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) party members were seen on the seats that have traditionally been reserved for the principal opposition party.

As the 13 of 19 Congress MLAs merged with Telangana Rashtra Samithi, the Congress has only six MLAs and lost its Opposition status.

On Monday, as soon as Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao walked in, AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, now the leader of the principal opposition, walked across the aisle and greeted Rao. The Speaker made fresh arrangements for the seats in the House and the AIMIM occupied the seats in the front row intended for the Opposition leader.

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Leaders including N Chandrababu Naidu, YS Rajasekhara Reddy, K Jana Reddy and Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka used to be the common faces occupying the front seat in the past

The Congress floor leader Bhatti Vikramarka sat in the second row. However, the AIMIM was not declared as the Opposition party by the Speaker officially.

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