Monsoon session: Stage set for govt, Oppn fireworks

The Monsoon session of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, scheduled to start on June 17, is likely to be a stormy one. The session will start with the Governor’s speech on the first day. There will be discussion on the Governor’s speech from Monday.

Leader of Opposition Abdul Mannan said the reign of terror unleashed by Trinamool Congress and the inaction of the police to round up the persons involved would be the major issue. “The government would not be spared from day one,” he said.

As CPI(M) has been trying to justify the utility of having an alliance with Congress before the Politburo and Central Committee by referring to deteriorating law and order situation in the state, the party’s legislators will not spare the government on this issue. 

Though BJP has three MLAs – including its state president Dilip Ghosh – it will also try to pull up the state government on matters relating to law and order.

Though the Left Front and Congress have 32 and 44 MLAs respectively, taking the total to 76, political experts said the Opposition legislators would try to find faults in the state government on every issue.

There are four veteran Left leaders, who are well-acquainted with the system of Parliamentary system, namely former CPI(M) MP Sujan Chakraborty, former Urban development Minister Ashok Bhattacharya, former Animal Resource Development Minister Anisur Rahaman and former Social Welfare Minister Biswanath Chowdhury.

Tanmay Bhattacharya, who defeated TMC’s Chandrima Bhattacharya from Dum Dum North seat, is also a good speaker. In Congress, apart from Mannan, Manas Bhuniya, Abu Hena, Asit Mitra and Manoj Chakraborty are also veterans. Dilip Ghosh, though not an eloquent speaker, is famous for his caustic remarks and is likely to create noise in the Assembly session. 

The Opposition will demand the presence of the Chief Minister and try to create a scene when she will be absent. State Finance Minister Amit Mitra will soon present his budget and the Opposition will pull up the state if there is no thrust on industry.

Political experts said the Opposition could criticise the Governor’s speech, calling it to a “tutored one” and there will be fierce debate on the issue of violence.