Will tackle violence with firmness, Says Mamta after taking oath
Dailynewsun Desk:
Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee was sworn-in as West Bengal chief minister for the third straight term today after she spearheaded her party to a remarkable victory in the assembly polls.
She called on Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar at Raj Bhavan and signed as the chief minister, as is the practice, before she was administered the oath of office and secrecy again.
Earlier Monday, Banerjee addressed a press conference where she spoke of a “collective fight” by the opposition against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but underscored combating the Covid-19 crisis should be the first priority.
“I am just a street fighter. I can boost the morale of the people so that we can fight a strong fight against the BJP. One cannot do everything alone and it should be a collective effort. If collectively we can take a decision, together we can fight the battle of 2024. But first let us fight this COVID crisis and then we will decide on this. Now is not the time,” she said, responding to a question about her role in the 2024 general elections.
Later, the newly-elected MLAs of the TMC met and unanimously chose her leader of the legislature party, before she called on the governor to stake claim to form the government.
Banerjee, who lost from Nandigram despite the astounding TMC victory, can be sworn-in as the chief minister but will have to get elected to the assembly within six months of assuming office.
After swearing-in Mamata Banerjee for her third straight term, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar said, “Our priority is that we must bring an end to this senseless violence that has affected society at large. I have every hope that the CM on an urgent basis will take all steps to restore rule of law.”
The ceremony was a low-key program given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, officials said. Invitations for the program were sent to her predecessor Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, leader of Opposition of the outgoing House Abdul Mannan, and CPI(M) veteran leader Biman Bose, the official said on Tuesday.
The ceremony comes amid mounting pressure on the TMC government over the post-poll violence that claimed at least 14 lives in two days.
Banerjee has asked the administration to control the violence at the earliest. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and the Union Home Ministry seeking a report from its state counterpart. BJP president J P Nadda also met families of the victims.
