Bengal is headed for an unique constitutional confrontation after Mamata Banerjee refused to resign as chief minister on Tuesday after her party, the Trinamool Congress, lost to the BJP in the Assembly election results on Monday.
The new BJP state government is likely to take oath on Saturday.
Afreen Hussain / Kolkata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has refused to step down from the post of Chief Minister and declared that she would not resign in the wake of the recent election results because she believed that the votes were looted by force and the entire voting process was rigged.
Speaking to the reporters here today, she expressed determination her party have not lost. Banerjee accused the Election Commission of bias, saying it has created a “dark chapter” in India’s democratic history.
BJP has severely criticised Mamata Banerjee’s statement. BJP said whether she resigns or not as the term of the present assembly ends on 7th of May, after that nobody will remain member of this house. BJP leader Bimal Shankar Nandi, while speaking to media, said that Mamata will not succeed in creating stalemate and making mockery of democracy.
He stressed that there are provisions in our constitution to tackle such unwanted situation. On Mamata’s allegation that BJP is taking control and capturing their party offices in various places He said it is a blatant lie.
Former chief election commissioner S. Y. Quraishi told The Telegraph that in such a rare situation, the constitutional provision allows the governor to ask for the CM’s resignation, failing the procurement of which the governor can invoke Article 356, or President’s Rule, citing a breakdown of constitutional machinery in the state.
“Even if for the duration of a day or two, in a situation like this, President’s Rule is the most likely outcome. After the term of her House ends, it has to be dissolved. There cannot be two incumbent chief ministers at the same time,” said Quraishi.