The political transition in West Bengal formally began on Thursday as the State Cabinet was dissolved with the completion of the Assembly’s five-year term. Governor RN Ravi issued a notification dissolving the West Bengal Legislative Assembly with effect from May 7.

The current Assembly had been constituted in May 2021 after Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress secured a third consecutive term in office. The dissolution follows the recently-concluded two-phase Assembly elections, paving the way for the formation of a new government.

The notification, issued by the Department of Parliamentary Affairs, can be called a constitutional formality. Under Article 172 of the Constitution of India, a state legislative assembly has a fixed term of five years from its first sitting, after which it stands automatically dissolved without requiring a separate order.

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Bengal’s political atmosphere remains charged

A day after the BJP registered a sweeping victory in the elections, Banerjee indicated that she would not visit the Raj Bhavan to submit her resignation. Alleging electoral malpractice, she accused the BJP and the Election Commission of conspiring to “loot” votes.

“If I had lost, I would have resigned. If anyone thinks I will step down under pressure, that is not going to happen. We did not lose the election. Morally, we won,” Banerjee said at a press conference on May 5.

She further alleged that she was physically assaulted inside a counting centre in Bhabanipur, where she lost to her former aide Suvendu Adhikari. The claims have added to tensions following a fiercely contested election cycle.

BJP moves for historic transition

Meanwhile, the BJP legislature party is set to meet on May 8 to formalise leadership decisions ahead of the swearing-in ceremony scheduled for May 9. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and several chief ministers from BJP-ruled states are expected to attend.

The ceremony coincides with ‘Panchise Baishakh’, the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. The party, as usual, is yet to announce the Chief Ministerial candidate for the state.