Kolkata: BJP leader and Nandigram MLA Suvendu Adhikari on Monday was unanimously elected as Leader of BJP legislature party in the assembly after a meeting of the legislators at the party's Hastings office.
At a time when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the names of her ministers, on the other side BJP central leader Ravi Shankar Prasad claimed that by getting full support from all the MLAs and being proposed by Mukul Roy, Suvendu Adhikari will be the BJP’s leader of opposition.
Addressing the meeting, Suvendu said as an opposition leader his first responsibility will be to make West Bengal ‘violence free’.
“I have been an MP twice and MLA three times and have also witnessed the arrogance of the TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee. My first duty will be to make the state violence-free. Several BJP cadres are being killed and hanged and over one lakh cadres had to take shelter in Assam, this should be stopped,” said the Nandigram MLA.
Suvendu also mentioned that post Independence for the first time a defeated candidate became the Chief Minister of the state.
“For the first time in history, a defeated candidate became the Chief Minister and the Left Front got completely wiped off from the state. 77 lotuses have bloomed in the state and slowly we will reach our target of making Sonar Bangla,” added Suvendu.
West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh claimed that if needed the saffron camp will agitate outside the Assembly and will reach out to people to serve them.
“We are for serving people and we will fight for it to every extent and if needed, we will agitate outside the Assembly,” mentioned the West Bengal BJP chief.
Meanwhile, according to BJP sources 50-55 MLAs were present at the meeting where Suvendu was elected as the opposition leader and also that all the BJP MLAs will get four central forces along with two state security personnel for their safety.
“All the BJP MLAs are asked to visit the violence affected areas and are also asked to stand by the affected people. Sensing more violence and in keeping with the security of the BJP MLAs it is decided that additional six central security personnel will be deployed for the MLAs,” mentioned the BJP sources.
Meanwhile, Manoj Tigga, MLA, Madarihat has been appointed as chief whip of BJP legislative party.
