Kolkata: West Bengal's political landscape is heating up as the 2026 Assembly polls approach, with Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari snubbing an invitation to the annual Lokayukta Committee meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Adhikari, a prominent BJP leader, accused Banerjee's administration of having "blood on its hands," marking a fresh escalation in the ongoing conflict between the TMC and BJP in the state.
Adhikari's refusal aligns with his four-and-a-half-year boycott of all administrative and statutory meetings led by the Nabanna. The Lokayukta Committee meeting, scheduled for December 1 in Nabanna, is part of the annual institutional review led by the Chief Minister. Convention dictates that the Leader of the Opposition is invited as a member of the committee, but Adhikari has consistently abstained since assuming the role in 2021.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Adhikari stated, "I will not attend the Lokayukta meeting. I will write to them explaining my reasons. I will not sit with a chief minister who is heading a corrupt government". He further invoked the recent assault on BJP MP Khagen Murmu in Malda, asserting that "no sane person can sit next to those who have the blood of BJP workers on their hands" after witnessing Murmu "drenched in blood". He also questioned the ruling party's moral authority to convene such meetings.
Adhikari revisited corruption allegations against senior TMC leaders, claiming that charge sheets have been filed against members of Mamata Banerjee's cabinet, including Partha Chatterjee and Jyotipriya Mallick, as well as several MLAs. He stated that under the law, the Chief Minister is obligated to report these cases to the Assembly, which she allegedly fails to do, only sending "a casual letter during appointments".
He criticized the "opaque and partisan" manner of statutory postings, suggesting that Chief Secretary Manoj Pant might be appointed to the Human Rights Commission if he does not receive an extension. Adhikari stated that his boycott extends to all meetings chaired by the Chief Minister, emphasizing that he has not attended any such meeting for four years. "Whether it is the appointment of Information Commissioners, formation of the Lokayukta or any statutory process, I stay away. There is no question of legitimising unconstitutional practices," he said.
A senior TMC leader and MLA responded that Adhikari's decision to boycott the meeting reflects the BJP's entanglement of administrative meetings with politics. The TMC leader further added, "They talk about fighting corruption but don't want to attend meeting on Lokayukta committee meeting. This only reflects the double standards of the BJP".
Adding to the ongoing tensions, Adhikari recently accused the Mamata Banerjee government of manipulating the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state's electoral rolls. He alleged that booth-level officers (BLOs) are being influenced to add or retain names of ineligible voters, including "dead voters, fake voters, and Bangladeshi infiltrators". He accused Chief Secretary Manoj Pant of leading this effort.
The Lokayukta is a parliamentary ombudsman for West Bengal, established to address public grievances against ministers, legislators, administrators, and public servants regarding misuse of power, maladministration, and corruption. The West Bengal Lokayukta Act was approved by the President of India in 2013, mandating each state to appoint a Lokayukta. The first Lokayukta of West Bengal was Justice Samaresh Bandyopadhyay, who served from 2006 to 2009. Justice Ashim Kumar Roy, a retired Calcutta High Court judge, was appointed as the State Lokayukta in 2018 and his term was extended till August 29, 2025.
