NEW DELHI: West Bengal Governor R N Ravi dissolved the state government cabinet and the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, paving the way for a new government following the recent Assembly elections. This decision, effective from May 7, was executed under Clause (2)(b) of Article 174 of the Indian Constitution, as stated in a release from Lok Bhavan, Kolkata.
The dissolution comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) achieved a significant victory in the Assembly polls, preparing to form its first government in West Bengal. Party sources have indicated that Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to arrive in Kolkata later on Thursday to participate in the preparations for the swearing-in ceremony. A meeting of the newly-elected BJP MLAs is scheduled for Friday, where they are likely to elect a legislative party leader.
The political atmosphere in the state has intensified following the election results. Outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a recent address to newly-elected Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLAs, asserted that she would not resign, saying, “I won’t resign. Let them dismiss me. I want this to be a black day. We have to be strong.” She alleged irregularities in the elections, claiming that TMC candidates had been “forcefully defeated” and that over 1,500 party offices had been “hijacked.” Banerjee described the electoral process as “an atrocity,” citing bias from the Election Commission, Central Reserve Police Force, and some state officials.
In her statements, Banerjee maintained that the Trinamool Congress had “morally” defeated the BJP and emphasized that the INDIA bloc had emerged more united following the Bengal election results. Her refusal to step down and the surrounding tensions have raised concerns over a potential constitutional crisis in West Bengal.
