BJP Nandigram MLA Suvendu Adhikari who won the titanic battle against chief minister Mamata Banerjee was chosen as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly. Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad announced his name after a meeting with the legislators at the party’s Hastings office.
Manoj Tigga, MLA, Madarihat has been chosen as chief whip of BJP in the Assembly. Adhikari’s name was proposed by BJP Krishnnagar north MLA Mukul Roy and it was supported by 22 BJP MLAs which resulted in a unanimous decision.
Adhikary said that he as the Leader of Opposition along with his party MLAs will fight against corruption, extortion and syndicate culture inside and outside the Assembly. “I am committed to fight for the rights of the people of Bengal. Our party believed that I can work for the people so I am glad and grateful to party,” he said.
BJP’s Nandigram MLA said that his party now has the tremendous responsibility of ensuring workers who had to flee homes due to post-poll violence return to their homes safely. Several people had taken shelter in Assam and more than a lakh are homeless. The law and order situation is worsening in Bengal. Several people were killed and hung from trees.
We would protest by following Assembly’s rules against the lawlessness in Bengal, he said. It has been learnt from party sources that Roy will work as a political strategist and so he wasn’t elected as the Leader of Opposition. Subhendu has experience of several years as he has been an MLA since 2006. He could lead the BJP MLAs in properly in Assembly, said the sources.