Guwahati/Agartala, Dec 1 (NationPress) Following the recent trend in West Bengal, the official residences of the Governors in Assam and Tripura have been officially renamed from Raj Bhavan to Lok Bhavan as of Monday, according to officials.

However, the other Northeastern states have yet to implement this new naming convention for their Governors’ official residences.

A statement on the Assam Lok Bhavan X handle indicated that this change aligns with the recommendations made during the Governors' conference held in 2024, following a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on November 25. The MHA requested that the offices of state Governors be referred to as Lok Bhavan instead of Raj Bhavan.

The statement mentioned, “... it has been decided that the office of the Governor shall be referred to as Lok Bhavan and the office of the Lieutenant Governor as Lok Niwas. Raj Bhavan Assam is renamed and shall henceforth be referred to as Lok Bhavan, Assam.”

Tripura's Governor, Indra Sena Reddy Nallu, stated that this decision to change the name of Raj Bhavan to Lok Bhavan was made in honor of democracy.

The Governor further announced that ordinary citizens will be permitted to visit Lok Bhavan during designated hours.

“The term Raj Bhavan suggested a connection to a royal lineage or monarchy. With democracy in place and governments being elected through a democratic process, it is fitting to rename Raj Bhavan to Lok Bhavan,” the Governor elaborated.

An official remarked that the Raj Bhavan in Tripura's capital, Agartala, will now be known as Lok Bhavan for all formal purposes.

“The official letterheads and all documentation related to the Governor’s house will now reflect Lok Bhavan instead of Raj Bhavan,” the official stated, adding that nameplates and all signage on the premises, as well as updates on the website and social media, will be adjusted accordingly.

The name change for the Raj Bhavan in West Bengal occurred on Saturday, November 29, with the Governor's House now being referred to as Lok Bhavan.

The historical mansion Pushpabanta (also known as Pushpavanta Palace or Kunjaban Palace), which served as the Raj Bhavan until 2018, was constructed in 1917 by the then Tripura king, Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya Debbarma Bahadur.

Subsequently, the Governor’s residence was relocated to the Capital Complex area on the outskirts of the city. Earlier this year, the Tripura government entered into a lease agreement with a private firm to transform the historic Pushpabanta Palace in Agartala into a 5-star hotel.

Numerous organizations, including the youth wings of the ruling BJP’s ally, the Tipra Motha Party, have protested against the Tripura government's decision to privatize the iconic Pushpabanta Palace and convert it into a luxury hotel by a private entity.