State BJP to boycott Mamata's swearing-in, Jaitley to attend

Alleging post-poll violence in West Bengal, the state Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday said it would boycott the swearing-in of Mamata Banerjee as chief minister on Friday, even as some Union ministers, including Arun Jaitley, would attend the programme.

“We are boycotting tomorrow’s swearing-in ceremony. When our workers are being attacked throughout the state, how can we join the swearing-in ceremony?” state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said.

State BJP sources, however, confirmed the participation of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and said a few other central ministers would also be in attendance.

Both the Congress and the Left Front, which fought the assembly poll together, have decided against participating in the ceremony and said they would organise protests against post-poll violence.

Asked if the central BJP leadership, including Union ministers, who have been invited, will also boycott the programme, Ghosh, who was in Midnapore, said, “I cannot comment on it. But we will try to convince them not to join the swearing-in as it would harm the party.”

“They (central leadership) will decide what they will do considering protocol. But we have apprised them that we are boycotting the programme,” he said.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has maintained good relation with all the states pursuing with the policy of strengthening the federal structure,” he pointed out.

Reiterating their stand on boycotting the programme, Left Front chairman Biman Bose wondered, “How can we go there when people are being attacked?”

The state Congress leadership had earlier stated they would not attend the oath-taking ceremony.