Congress, CPM to share opposition space in West Bengal

KOLKATA: Six Congress ministers in Mamata Banerjee's Cabinet will resign on Saturday, in a reciprocal measure to Trinamool Congress ministers quitting the Union Cabinet on Friday. "We have sought an appointment with the chief minister, and she is expected to meet us on Saturday afternoon, when all our ministers will tender their resignations to her," West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee president Pradip Bhattacharjee told ET on Friday.

Following the break up of the alliance, Congress is set to replace CPM as the main opposition. "We will require our high command's clearance for claiming the status of the Opposition in the state assembly," Bhattacharjee said. However, it is almost certain Congress will claim the status. CPM is the main opposition at present. It will be the first time that Congress and CPM would be in Opposition in West Bengal. CPM has 38 MLAs in the state legislature, against Congress' 42.

Apart from the new status in the state, the West Bengal Congress leadership is hopeful of getting a few berths in the Union Cabinet, as six portfolios are vacant, following the resignation of Trinamool Congress ministers. AICC member and WBPCC general secretary, Omprakash Mishra, has written a letter to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, demanding 'proportionate' and 'adequate' representation to West Bengal in the Union Council of Ministers.

In his letter, Mishra said: "In the backdrop of the imminent resignation of one Cabinet and five ministers of state belonging to Trinamool Congress from the Union Cabinet and withdrawal of support from the UPA II government, and taking into account the election of Pranab Mukherjee to the high office of the President of India, the question of proportionate and adequate representation from West Bengal is engaging the attention of the people.

Out of the 42 Lok Sabha and 16 Rajya Sabha members from the state, we have only six members (five in Lok Sabha and one in Rajya Sabha) supporting the UPA government. These six members belonging to Congress represent the state at the Centre. West Bengal is the third-largest state (along with Andhra, after UP and Maharashtra, Lok Sabha seat-wise) and it deserves political and ministerial representation in a proportionate way.

Moreover, withdrawal of support by the Trinamool Congress presents a wonderful opportunity for the revival and rejuvenation of our party. Representation of the Congress MPs from the state in the Union government would be a morale booster and help generate political support in the state for reform measures and other progressive and welfare agenda of the UPA government. In this backdrop, I request your kind consideration in nominating at least three ministers from among Congress MPs from the state, including a suitable berth in the Cabinet."