Ahead of the first session of the Legislative Assembly following the formation of the new government, a political controversy has erupted over the list of invitees for an all-party meeting convened by Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose.

The Assembly session is scheduled to commence on June 18. In line with parliamentary conventions, the Speaker has called a preparatory all-party meeting on Tuesday. A meeting of the Dearness Allowance (DA) Committee is also slated to be held at the Assembly on the same day.

The Speaker’s selection of invitees has triggered a political debate, with Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLAs Sovandeb Chattopadhyay from Ballygunge and Kunal Ghosh from Beleghata reportedly excluded from the meeting. Neither leader is said to have received an invitation from the Speaker’s office, raising questions within political circles.

In contrast, Ritabrata Banerjee—who was previously expelled from the TMC—and his associates have been invited to the meeting and are being recognised as the “principal opposition.” Invitations have also been extended to representatives from the CPI(M) and the Indian Secular Front (ISF).

Political Realignment at Play

The development comes amid shifting political dynamics within the state. The dissident faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee has been asserting itself as the “real Trinamool Congress” following recent changes in political alignments.

Observers note that both Kunal Ghosh and Sovandeb Chattopadhyay have been vocal critics of the dissident faction. While Ghosh has consistently opposed the claims made by Ritabrata and his associates, Chattopadhyay has reportedly initiated legal proceedings challenging the faction’s claim over party rights.

Against this backdrop, the Speaker’s decision has fueled speculation that the exclusion of these veteran leaders may be linked to their firm stance against the dissident group.

The move has generated an undercurrent of tension within the Assembly ahead of the upcoming session. Political observers are closely watching whether any last-minute revisions are made to the list of invitees before the meeting begins, or if fresh invitations are issued to those who were initially left out.

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