Left, Cong mull no confidence against WB govt

The Left Front and Congress are mulling a joint no confidence motion against the TMC government in West Bengal in the comming session of the assembly, sources in the two parties said on Wednesday.

The no confidence motion will be brought against the "misrule" and "lawless situation" in the state, according to them.

The assembly session will begin from November 16 and continue till November 29.

"We are jointly planning to bring a no confidence motion against the state government. Democracy has ceased to exist in Bengal and unemployment is on a rise in the state. Misrule by TMC has led to a lawless situation in the state," Leader of Opposition Abdul Mannan said at a press conference.

He was joined by Left Front legislative party leader Sujan Chakraborty.

After the assembly session begins on November 16, the Left and the Congress will submit the no confidence motion under rule 185, Mannan said adding "We hope that the motion will be accepted by the speaker".

When contacted West Bengal Speaker Biman Banerjee said he will take a call after the motion is submitted.

The Congress, whose numbers have come down to 33 in the state assembly after 11 MLAs switched over to TMC. However, except Manas Bhunia the rest of the MLAs are yet to resign as Congress MLAs.

The number of MLAs of Left Front too has come down to 29 after two of their representatives switched over to TMC.

The TMC had won 211 seats in the last state assembly polls by defeating the Left-Congress combine.

Asked to comment on Congress' lack of numbers, a party MLA said "It is not a question of winning or losing. It is about registering our protest and people's anger against the undemocratic and dictatorial functioning of the government".

State Parliamentary Affairs Minister and TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee mocked Manan for proposing to bring a no-confidence motion.

"They (Cong and Left) can do whatever they want to ... The people of Bengal have full confidence in TMC and Mamata Banerjee," he said.

Speaker Biman Banerjee had convened an all party meeting today but Congress and Left Front gave it a miss accusing the state government of not according enough importance to the views of the opposition in the assembly.

Manan said that the floor coordination between the Congress and the Left Front will continue in the assembly.

Two bills, including one on granting of land rights to the enclave dwellers in Coochbehar district are expected to be introduced in the coming session of the assembly.