Bengal LoP Chattopadhyay urges BJP govt to retain TMC welfare schemes
Synopsis
It is my request that whatever the government had granted should not be taken back,
Key Takeaways
he added. On Constitutional Equality and Secularism Chattopadhyay invoked Kolkata 's identity as 'Mini India' to underscore his appeal for secular governance.
Veteran Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, a day after being named the new Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly, on Sunday urged the newly sworn-in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state to continue all welfare schemes launched by the previous administration. Chattopadhyay also called for equal treatment of all citizens regardless of caste, class, or religion.
Key Demands from the New LoP
Speaking to reporters, Chattopadhyay appealed directly to the BJP government and Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari to halt what he described as atrocities against common people.
Frequently Asked Questions
he said. Chattopadhyay on the CM's Constitutional Oath Referring to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari 's oath of office, Chattopadhyay said Adhikari had pledged to abide by the Constitution.
All Ministers have to take this oath. I also believe that whatever is mentioned in the Constitution, each person should be treated equally,
he said, holding the new government to its stated commitments. TMC's Stance on Central Forces and the Opposition Role Chattopadhyay also expressed scepticism about central paramilitary forces deployed in the state.
I don't have any faith in the central forces. We saw how they worked during the election,
he said. Reflecting on TMC's defeat, he acknowledged the party's new reality with measured composure:
Today we have to face this situation also. Earlier too, I have been in the Opposition for a long time, from 1991 to 2011.
he said, signalling continuity in his political experience. Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress also appointed former minister Firhad Hakim as Chief Whip , and Asima Patra and Nayna Bandyopadhyay as Deputy Leaders of the Opposition in the Assembly. The party's opposition structure in the West Bengal legislature is now fully constituted, setting the stage for a structured legislative contest with the BJP government.
Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay was named TMC's Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, a day after the BJP formed the government following its victory in the state Assembly elections.
