Soon after West Bengal Governor RN Ravi dissolved the State Legislative Assembly with effect from May 7 after completion of its term, the BJP on Thursday said the decision on who will be the next chief minister will be announced on Friday after the legislative party meeting.
Here's what BJP MP Saumitra Khan says
On legislative assembly meeting scheduled for Friday, BJP MP Saumitra Khan says, "Our Chief Minister will be announced tomorrow. Our HM Amit Shah and Odisha CM is also coming. They will be here by 3 o'clock. We have a meeting at 4 o'clock in Biswa Bangla Convention Centre."
It should be noted that the current West Bengal Assembly was constituted in May 2021 after the Trinamool Congress, under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, returned to power for the third consecutive term in the state.
Dissolution marks formal completion of outgoing assembly
The dissolution marks the formal completion of the tenure of the outgoing assembly, following the recently concluded two-phase elections. The notification was issued by the Department of Parliamentary Affairs.
The BJP, which won a landslide majority and is slated to form its first government in the state, has stepped up preparations for the oath-taking ceremony. BJP sources told ANI that Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to reach Kolkata, and a meeting of newly-elected party MLAs is likely to be held on Friday to elect the legislative party leader.
Mamata says she will not resign from her post
Outgoing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed a meeting of newly-elected MLAs of her party and stated she will not resign from her post in the wake of assembly poll results and the Centre can dismiss her, Trinamool Congress sources said on Wednesday.
They said Mamata Banerjee stated that party candidates "were forcefully defeated" in the polls and alleged that over 1500 Trinamool Congress offices "were hijacked". She also said that there is greater unity in the INDIA bloc after the Bengal poll results and alleged that the state did not witness an election "but an atrocity" and claimed that Trinamool Congress had "morally" defeated BJP in the polls.
The Trinamool Congress leader said she will continue her fight. "After the Bengal INDIA team is united now. I won't resign. Let them dismiss me. I want this to be a black day. We have to be strong. On the first day of the Assembly, wear black clothes. Those who betrayed will be removed from the party. I am laughing. I defeated them morally. I am a free bird. I worked for all. We might have lost, but we will fight. HM and PM are directly involved," Mamata Banerjee said, according to Trinamool Congress sources.
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Governor RN Ravi dissolves West Bengal Assembly as Mamata Banerjee refuses to resign
