'People's mandate must be respected'

KOLKATA, MAY 15. The West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, today refused to comment on the controversy over the swearing-in of Ms. Jayalalitha as the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, but said the people's mandate should to be respected.

``Legal experts are giving their opinions on the Chief Ministership of Ms. Jayalalitha and I have nothing to comment, but people's mandate is important,'' Mr. Bhattacharjee said when asked to comment on the controversy over the AIADMK leader taking oath as Chief Minister despite being convicted on corruption charges.

Mr. Bhattacharjee was talking to reporters at the airport before leaving for New Delhi to attend the CPI(M) politburo meeting.

Mr. Bhattacharjee said the defeat of the Trinamool Congress in the Assembly elections was a ``positive development'', while the BJP's non-representation in the new House was better for the State in the long-term.

``At this moment, the Trinamool Congress' defeat in the elections is a positive development to me,'' Mr. Bhattacharjee said.

Mr. Bhattacharjee said, the politburo would discuss the size and composition of the new Ministry. A final decision would be taken at the CPI(M) State committee meeting here on May 17 to be ratified at the Left Front meeting later in the day.

Mr. Bhattacharjee today tendered his resignation to the Governor, Mr. Viren J. Shah, paving the way for installation of the sixth Left Front Government. Mr. Bhattacharjee called on the Governor at Raj Bhavan and tendered his resignation.

The Governor, later, dissolved the 12th Assembly after the Election Commission issued a notification for constitution of the 13th Assembly, the Chief Electoral Officer, Mr. Sabyasachi Sen, told newsmen. Raj Bhavan sources said the Governor accepted the resignation of the outgoing Chief Minister and asked him to continue in office till the new Government took over.

- PTI

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