Political sparring between the ruling BJP and the Opposition intensified in the West Bengal Assembly on Wednesday, as Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari launching a sharp attack on Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
In response to remarks made by Banerjee a day earlier, the Chief Minister referred to Banerjee’s call asking party workers to “note down” developments and promising to “settle scores” in 2031.
“Yesterday there were loud claims that accounts would be settled in 2031. I will see where he is in 2031. If he has the courage, let him contest from Diamond Harbour. He is making tall claims after gathering barely 2,500 people. When I hold a meeting in a single gram panchayat, I draw four times that number,” Adhikari said.
The verbal duel reflected the continuing escalation of political rhetoric between the BJP government and the Trinamool Congress.
Adhikari also dismissed complaints over the Opposition speakers’ list during the discussion on the budget demands of the Home and Hill Affairs Department, when Opposition MLA Alifa Ahmed objected to the manner in which speakers were being called during the budget discussion.
She alleged that legislators who had prepared to participate in the debate were being overlooked despite their names having been submitted by the Opposition.
Expressing her displeasure, Ahmed said members who had studied the subject and come prepared were not being given an opportunity to speak, while other names were being called instead.
Responding to the objection, Adhikari said the Assembly would not intervene in disputes within the Opposition camp. Recalling established legislative procedure, he said the Opposition’s chief whip is responsible for submitting the list of speakers to the treasury bench’s chief whip, after which the Speaker calls members according to that list.
“I was the Leader of the Opposition for five years. The established process is that the Opposition chief whip submits the list of speakers to the government chief whip and the Speaker proceeds accordingly. If there is any disagreement within your own camp, resolve it internally. The Chief Minister or the Assembly cannot settle your internal disputes,” he said.
Adhikari further stated that every Opposition party would receive equal opportunity to participate in Assembly debates. “ISF, CPIM and Trinamul Congress will all be given equal time slots to speak during Assembly sessions,” he said.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress MLA Kunal Ghosh, who owes allegiance to former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’ camp, alleged that although his name had appeared on the speakers’ list, he was ultimately denied the opportunity to participate in the debate.
“It appears that the BJP government is not interested in hearing criticism from the Opposition. The BJP government wants to nurture brokers instead,” Ghosh alleged.