New Trinamool MLAs protest, want Governor to administer oath in Assembly

Trinamool Congress and West Bengal Governor clash over oath-taking ceremony for newly elected MLAs, sparking political tensions.

The Trinamool Congress and West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose are at loggerheads again, this time over administering oath to two newly elected MLAs.

Sayantika Bandyopadhyay and Rayat Hossain Sarkar, elected from Baranagar and Bhagwangola Assembly seats in the recent bypolls, held protests in the State Assembly demanding the presence of the Governor. Both the MLAs held placards reading “Waiting for the arrival of Hon Governor for Oath” and sat on the stairs of Assembly till 4 p.m. The Governor, however, did not turn up.

Raj Bhavan had earlier invited the two electors to take oath at the Governor’s House on Wednesday. But the MLAs insisted that they be sworn in at the State Assembly and not at the Raj Bhawan.

Ms. Bandyopadhyay said it was unfortunate that after getting the mandate of the people “we have to beg to be administered oath”. Mr. Hossain said the Governor could either come to the Assembly and administer the oath or delegate the Speaker to do it, but Mr. Ananda Bose has declined both the options.

The developments have evoked a strong reaction from the West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay. “The oath-taking ceremony is a constitutional protocol and it is very unfortunate that we are facing this situation. If the Governor is willing, he can come to the Assembly and administer the oath. We will make all necessary arrangements. We have no objection. But there should not be an impasse,” Mr. Bandyopadhyay said.

Relations between Mr. Anada Bose and the West Bengal government have been frosty over the past few months, but after the allegations of harassment were levelled by a woman Raj Bhawan employee against the Governor, the ties have turned sour. The Ministers of the State government, including the Chief Minister, have refrained from visiting the Raj Bhawan since May 2, when the allegations by the employee against the Governor became public.