Bengal CM Adhikari Assures Greater Space For Opposition in Assembly
CM assures increased role for opposition in legislative proceedings.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday said that his government will ensure greater democratic space for opposition legislators in the state Assembly, asserting that such inclusiveness was lacking under previous regimes. He made the remarks while addressing a two-day orientation programme for newly elected MLAs at the West Bengal Assembly in Kolkata.
Adhikari said that during both the 34-year Left Front rule and the subsequent Trinamool Congress government, opposition voices were not given adequate respect or institutional access. He alleged that in earlier regimes, opposition legislators were often excluded from official programmes and even faced difficulties in communicating with administrative officials. He also recalled his own experience as Leader of Opposition, claiming he was not invited to official events during his tenure.
The Chief Minister, however, said that efforts have already begun to change this approach in the early months of his administration. He stated that in recent administrative meetings held under his leadership, both ruling and opposition MLAs were invited to participate. He added that opposition members had also been included in the budget consultation process, describing it as part of a broader effort to strengthen collaborative governance in the state.
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Adhikari further criticised the existing functioning of the Assembly, stating that both the previous Left Front and Trinamool Congress administrations had failed to modernise legislative procedures. He pointed out that voting in the House is still conducted using paper-based systems and called for improvements in infrastructure and communication technology to make Assembly proceedings more efficient and transparent.
Emphasising the need for collective development, the Chief Minister said that governance should go beyond party lines and focus on public welfare. He expressed hope that West Bengal would once again emerge as a leading state in the country, adding that strengthening democratic processes and ensuring equal participation of ruling and opposition legislators would be key to achieving that goal.
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