Kolkata : In a major jolt to Trinamool Congress Supremo Mamata Banerjee, expelled party MLA Ritabrata Banerjee has been chosen as the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
“We have claimed that the legislative party belongs to these MLAs. Two-thirds of the MLAs who have won in the symbol of the Trinomial Congress. The West Bengal State Legislative Assembly, the Speaker, has granted us our claim. So we want to go one step forward, one step at a time…,” he said.
Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, the leader of the rebel TMC MLAs claimed that his faction has been accepted as the principal Opposition in the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
“This two-thirds strong legislative team of the Trinamool Congress inside the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly does not believe in ‘I’, it believes in ‘we’. Whatever norms are framed out, we have followed every norm, and that’s why we have been accepted as the principal opposition in the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly,” he said.
Ritabrata suggested an advisor role for Mamata Banerjee, while launching a scathing attack on her nephew Abhishek Banerjee.
“We want Mamata Banerjee to be our chief advisor, to give us advice that will help us in strengthening our position as the opposition. 80 members were elected by the Trinamool Congress symbol. More than two-thirds of them have given our claim, and the claim has been accepted,” he added.
Slamming Abhishek Banerjee, he said that the Diamond Harbour MP will now no role in the party.
“Abhishek Banerjee will have absolutely no role in it. Neither our legislative party nor the party organisation has any connection whatsoever with him. Nor does the public have any connection with him,” he said.
He further remarked that Abhishek was beaten as “thieves” by the public.
“After being beaten like a thief, Abhishek Banerjee had declared that the public would protect him. Yet, it was observed that he had submitted a letter to the Central Government requesting an enhancement of his security…,” he added.
Earlier today, TMC MLAs submitted a letter of support to the Legislative Assembly Speaker with 58 signatures proposing the name of expelled leader Ritabrata as the LoP.
Names of Seuli Saha and Javed Ahmed Khan were proposed as the deputy leaders.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction had appointed Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the LoP but he was reportedly not recognised by the Speaker.
