KOLKATA
The BJP is all set to boycott the Public Accounts Committee if Mukul Roy is brought in as the Chairman of the assembly. As a rule, this position is given only to the leader of an opposition party. Although Mukul is still a BJP MLA, he has joined the TMC. How is it possible to give committee’s responsibility to Mukul? By raising this question, the BJP is thinking of boycotting all the committees of the assembly if he is going to be the Chairman.
Gerua Shibir wants Ashok Lahiri to be the Chairman of the PAC as the head of this committee is elected from the opposition party. The BJP has already sent a letter to Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee opposing the proposal to make Mukul the Chairman. Opposition groups called for a boycott of the PAC if they won’t be given the chairmanship.
Wednesday was the last day to submit nominations for the PAC where 14 names were given on behalf of the ruling party by the opposition. Significantly, Mukul’s name was also included in the list of names as a proposer, it was given by the ruling party. According to the TMC, Mukul is still the BJP MLA from Krishnanagar North. So the responsibility of PAC is being handed over to the opposition.
If Ashok is not made the Chairman, the BJP may boycott all the committees. It is reported that 10 out of 40 committees in the assembly may be handed over to the BJP but the party has demanded at least 14.
Mukul submitted his nomination by sending a letter to the assembly on Wednesday. The ruling TMC might have planned this beforehand, that is why Mukul did not resign from his MLA post. Now, Mukul’s letter of nomination for membership and the BJP’s activism in enforcing anti-defection laws against him have taken the state’s parliamentary politics to a new level.
Mukul won the Krishnanagar North seat for the BJP by over 35,000 votes in the just-concluded assembly polls. But on 11 Jun, he returned to the grassroots with his son Subhrangshu Roy. Speaker Biman’s remarks also hinted that the former Railway Minister is going to be the PAC chairman. “The decision will be taken in accordance with the rules of the assembly,” he said. Parliamentary Minister Parth Chatterjee said that the speaker is responsible for nominating the Chairman of any committee of the assembly. In this case, whatever he decides is final.
Mukul is not leaving the post of MLA right now, the idea of giving great importance in the assembly is in the TMC’s hands. The BJP is keeping an eye on the matter. According to the parliamentary system, the post of PAC chairman is given to the opposition party. But there are exceptions to that custom. The BJP also thinks that Mukul can be nominated for the post of Chairman only if he is legally a BJP member. Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari had earlier written a letter to the Speaker demanding Mukul’s dismissal from the post. An official of the assembly said that the speaker could announce the name in the Budget Session starting 2 July.
