In fast-moving political developments in West Bengal, expelled Trinamool Congress legislator Ritabrata Banerjee, who had claimed support of 58 MLAs, on Wednesday said that they have been "accepted as the principal opposition" in the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly and that the Speaker has granted "us our claim". Talking with reporters, Ritabrata Banerjee also said that they want Trinamool Congress chief and former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee "to be our chief advisor".
Ritabrata Banerjee claimed the support of two-thirds of TMC's 80 newly elected MLAs. "This two-thirds strong legislative team of the Trinamool Congress inside the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly does not believe in 'I', it believes in 'we'. Whatever norms are framed out, we have followed every norm, and that's why we have been accepted as the principal opposition in the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly," he said. "We want Mamata Banerjee to be our chief advisor, to give us advice that will help us in strengthening our position as the opposition. Eighty members were elected by the Trinamool Congress symbol. More than two-thirds of them have given our claim, and the claim has been accepted," he added. Ritabrata Banerjee, who also addressed a press conference, said they were going one step at a time.
"We have claimed that the legislative party belongs to these MLAs. Two-thirds of the MLAs who have won in the symbol of the Trinomial Congress. The West Bengal State Legislative Assembly, the Speaker, has granted us our claim. So we want to go one step forward, one step at a time," he said. Ritabrata Banerjee also lashed out at Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. "Abhishek Banerjee will have absolutely no role in it. Neither our legislative party nor the party organisation has any connection whatsoever with him. Nor does the public have any connection with him. The people of Bengal have absolutely no connection with him. If there were a connection, he wouldn't have remained in hiding for 26 days; he would have stepped out. He was beaten just as thieves are beaten," he said.
"After getting beaten, he made a statement claiming that since the public was on his side, the public itself would arrange for his security... On that day, after being beaten like a thief, Abhishek Banerjee had declared that the public would protect him. Yet, it was observed that he had submitted a letter to the Central Government requesting an enhancement of his security," he added.