The TMC is fighting TMC on nominations for the position of office-bearers in the West Bengal Assembly with parallel claims reaching the speaker office.
After expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee claimed support of 59 MLAs for the post of Leader of Opposition, TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee has shot another letter to the Speaker saying the party had appointed Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay on the post and the same be notified.
“This is to inform you that the All India Trinamool Congress has made the following appointments with regard to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly: Leader of Opposition – Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay; Deputy Leaders of Opposition – Ashima Patra and Nayana Bandopadhyay; Chief Whip: Firhad Hakim. You are hereby requested to recognise the aforesaid persons as Leader of Opposition and others on the basis of the precedent or practise of Legislative Assembly, which is in vogue for decades together,” Banerjee wrote in the letter to the Speaker as the party MLAs quibbled over consensus on appointments.
Banerjee said in 2001, the TMC had recommended the appointment of Lt Pankaj Banerjee as the Leader of Opposition which was accepted by the then Speaker.
“Similarly in 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021, the same practice and procedure was followed. In 2021, the Bharatiya Janata Party had recommended the name of Sri Suvendu Adhikari, as Leader of Opposition, which was accepted by the then Hon’ble Speaker…
“Apart from that, on 15th May 2026, after the election of the Speaker, the Chief Minister and Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, as Leader of Opposition, following the practise, procedure and respect to the Speaker, lead you to your Chair, by holding your hands. During the Welcome Speech, being the Speaker, you recognised Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, to address the Welcome Speech, as the Leader of Opposition of AITC. Effectively you have already recognised Chattopadhyay as Leader of Opposition at the Floor of the House,” Banerjee added in the letter.
