West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cancels her Delhi trip, prioritising the state budget, while BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari hints at a potential central probe into alleged fund misuse in West Bengal.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has called off her planned trip to Delhi where she was set to attend a meeting on One Nation One Election. The last-minute cancellation is attributed to the upcoming state budget, as stated by Banerjee herself. The state's budget session is scheduled for February 8, and the Chief Minister emphasised the urgency of addressing budget-related matters.
Meanwhile, Suvendu Adhikari, a BJP legislator and leader of the opposition in the state legislative assembly, met with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi. Adhikari hinted at the possibility of the central government sending a team to West Bengal to investigate allegations that state funds under the 15th Finance Commission were being used to pay electricity bills for government buildings. Adhikari lodged complaints with Sitharaman and called for a probe into the alleged irregularities, asserting that financial discipline is crucial.
Banerjee, who had previously rejected the idea of 'One Nation One Election,' clarified her decision to skip the Delhi tour, citing the state's budget session. She had earlier communicated her intent to attend the committee meeting on 'One Nation, One Election,' chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind. Banerjee mentioned contacting Kovind to propose sending two TMC MPs to represent her at the meeting, and he welcomed the suggestion.
Adhikari, on the other hand, posted about his meetings with Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. While he did not disclose details of his discussions with Shah, a senior BJP leader indicated that the talks may have revolved around the party's strategy for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha election in West Bengal.
Adhikari raised concerns with Sitharaman about alleged irregularities in the state administration's use of central funds. He urged the Union Finance Minister to initiate a probe into the matter, emphasising the need for financial discipline and citing the state finance audit report for 2020-21 compiled by the CAG. The report highlighted delays in the submission of utilization certificates since 2002-03, a claim Banerjee has refuted in a letter sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She asserted that the state government submitted utilization certificates on time in the prescribed format.