Adhikari meets Bengal Governor over Roy's appointment as PAC chief
(Sourced from PTI)
Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday met Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar seeking his intervention in MLA Mukul Roy's appointment as the Chairman of Public Accounts Committee (PAC), maintaining that norms were not followed. Adhikari stated that Roy, who switched over to the ruling TMC after winning assembly polls on BJP ticket, should no longer be considered a saffron camp member.
Adhikari also stated that Roy's elevation as PAC Chairman defies the well-established norm of appointing an opposition leader to the post. Claiming that the TMC wants to be its own judge, Adhikari alleged that the ruling party has ensured that its member gets chosen as the chief of PAC a panel that keeps a tab on government expenses to hide "questionable" pursuits.
"We met the Governor, sought his intervention as he is the custodian of the Constitution," Adhikari, who led a delegation of BJP MLAs to Raj Bhavan, said. Earlier in the day, eight BJP MLAs resigned as heads of Assembly panels in protest against Roy's appointment.
The leader of the opposition said that his party wishes to meet President Ram Nath Kovind and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and submit memoranda "describing how democracy is being throttled by the TMC in WB with post-poll violence and unfair practices in the assembly." Adhikari said Roy's name didn't figure in the six MLAs list given by BJP for the PAC Chairman's post.
The BJP had been seeking disqualification of Roy as a legislator under the anti-defection law, arguing that he changes sides after his election to the assembly. Adhikari said that the hearing of the BJP's application for Roy's disqualification is scheduled to be held before the Speaker on July 16. He insisted that by-polls shouldn't be conducted in WB until the vaccination process is over.
The BJP leader further said that the TMC, however, is "worried" as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee needs to get elected to the assembly to retain the Chief Minister's chair. Adhikari defeated Banerjee in Nandigram by 1,956 votes, according to the Election Commission. Banerjee has moved a petition before the Calcutta High Court challenging Adhikari's win.
