The days of “courtesy politics” between the Mamata Banerjee-government and the Opposition Left Front seems to be over after the government completed 200 days in the office. One allegation after another levelled by the state government against the Left Front, particularly the CPI(M), during the winter session of the Assembly, which concluded on Friday soured the relations.
The Left Front staged walkouts from the House on two consecutive days and Leader of Opposition Surjyak-anta Mishra did not attend the Assembly’s annual flower show inauguration programme. “Flower and children are precious and poison should not be allowed near them,” Dr Mishra quipped, in a veiled reference to Ms Banerjee’s allegation that CPI(M) may have poisoned illicit liquor as well as drinking water.
As the House assembled on Friday morning, the Left Front MLAs created pandemonium, demanding withdrawal of her statement in which she had accused the CPI(M) of spreading rumours about poisoning of water in South 24 Parganas. They demanded that either the government proved its charge or withdraw it.
They gheraoed Speaker Biman Banerjee and shouted slogans. Mr Banerjee, however, continued the Question Hour.