Mamata takes oath as Bengal CM
Mamata takes oath as Bengal CM for the 3rd consecutive term, thanks PM Modi for congratulating her
KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday expressed her gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his congratulatory message to her soon after she took oath as the chief minister for the third consecutive term.
Banerjee took to Twitter to respond to PM Modi by saying that she looks forward to the Centre’s sustained support. “Thank you @narendramodi ji for your wishes. I look forward to the Centre’s sustained support keeping the best interest of WB in mind. I extend my full cooperation and hope together we can fight this pandemic amid other challenges and set a new benchmark for Centre-State relations,” Banerjee said in a tweet.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi congratulated Banerjee and said, “Congratulations to Mamata Didi on taking oath as West Bengal’s Chief Minister.”
Banerjee was administered the oath of office by West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.
“I thank all the people who were looking at the Bengal elections. Our first priority is tackling Covid-19. Secondly, I urge all political parties to look around so that violence to be controlled. From today onwards, I am taking law and order into my hands. I will post the police accordingly
to tackle the situation. I will hold a big celebration once the pandemic is over,” she said after taking the oath.
The oath ceremony took place following Covid-19 protocols at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata. She is the 21st chief minister of West Bengal and 8th person to hold the office. “Our first priority is to control the Covid-19 situation,” she said after taking the oath.
Banerjee said she will hold a meeting on the pandemic situation at state secretariat Nabanna soon after leaving Raj Bhavan.
Since the poll verdict on Sunday, there have been reported clashes involving both the TMC and the BJP. Both parties have traded blame for the violence.
Referring to incidents of violence which have reportedly claimed the lives of several BJP
and TMC workers, Banerjee said, “I will tackle law and order from today and deal with these sternly. This is my second priority.”
“We will not give respite to anyone (perpetrators of violence), and do everything to restore law and order,” she told journalists after taking oath.
She urged all political parties to help maintain peace and order.
Congratulating Banerjee on assuming office for a third time, Dhankhar expressed hope and expectation that she will govern the state according to the Constitution and rule of law.
The TMC bagged 213 seats while the BJP won 77 of 292 assembly constituencies.
Meanwhile, shortly after taking oath Banerjee wrote to PM
Narendra Modi, urging him to facilitate free vaccines for all in a “transparent and time-bound manner”.
Banerjee, in her letter, also expressed concern over the dearth of oxygen cylinder in West Bengal, and stressed that the current health system “will have to be strengthened”.
“Considering the severity of the matter in its entirety, I would like to request you to kindly look into free vaccination as universal immunisation for all in a transparent and time-bound manner(sic).” “At present, vaccine availability is too inadequate...
and the central government’s direction to extend vaccination up to 18 years makes it unrealistic. So supply of vaccines is the core issue that needs to be addressed now,” she said.