Mamata Banerjee Takes Oath As West Bengal CM, Says Tackling COVID Crisis Her First Priority

The swearing-in of Mamata Banerjee was a low-key programme given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, Mamata Banerjee was the only leader to take oath today.

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday took oath as the Chief Minister of West Bengal for a third consecutive term. She was administered the oath by Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar. Notably, the oath-taking ceremony was a low-key affair due to the COVID pandemic situation. Earlier, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar had said that only a few invitees will be present at the programme because of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

“I congratulate Mamata Ji on her third term. Our priority is that we must bring an end to this senseless violence that has affected society at large. I have every hope that the CM on an urgent basis will take all steps to restore rule of law,” Governor said in a statement.

“My first priority is tackling the Covid pandemic. I will go to Nabanna now and hold a meeting about the measures we are taking about this crisis. I will hold a press conference at 3 PM and let you know what measures we are taking,” Mamata Banerjee said soon after taking oath.

Mamata Banerjee takes oath as the Chief Minister of #WestBengal for a third consecutive term. She was administered the oath by Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar. pic.twitter.com/IXy05xNZPZ

— ANI (@ANI) May 5, 2021

Talking about the law and order situation in her state, Banerjee said that for the last three months, the state was under the Election Commission and she did not have much to say. “There was a lot of inefficiency in the state system during this time. I will set up a new police system today itself and tackle the violence with utmost firmness,” Banerjee said after taking oath of the office.

Earlier, Banerjee tendered her resignation from the office of the chief minister to the governor following norms. “CM @MamataOfficial called on me and submitted her resignation as CM and the same has been accepted. She has been requested to continue till alternative arrangements are made,” Dhankhar tweeted.

The MLAs of the TMC unanimously elected Mamata Banerjee as the legislative party leader at a meeting, its secretary-general Partha Chatterjee said.

“Taking note of communication @AITCofficial electing @MamataOfficial as leader of 17th WB Legislative Assembly have invited her to take oath of office of Chief Minister on May 5 at 10.45 am at Raj Bhawan,” Dhankhar said in another tweet.

The TMC legislators also elected Biman Banerjee, the speaker in the outgoing House, as the pro-tem speaker in the new Assembly.

“The newly-elected members will take oath in the Assembly from May 6,” Chatterjee told reporters at the party headquarters after the meeting of the legislators.

The swearing-in of Mamata Banerjee was a low-key programme given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, Mamata Banerjee was the only leader to take oath today.

As per updates, the invitations for the programme have been sent to her predecessor Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, leader of Opposition of the outgoing House Abdul Mannan and CPI(M) veteran leader Biman Bose.

However, chief ministers of other states and leaders of other political parties have not been invited for the programme keeping in mind the current COVID-19 situation in the country.

The TMC came to power for the third time in a row in West Bengal, pocketing 213 of the 292 assembly seats that went to polls, while its main challenger, the BJP, bagged 77 seats.

Soon after taking oath, Banerjee went to the state secretariat ‘Nabanna’ where she was given ‘guard of honour’ by Kolkata Police.