KOLKATA: Newly appointed Chairman of Public Accounts Committee of the West Bengal Assembly Krishna Kalyani did not attend the scheduled meeting of the body on Wednesday, while the BJP said that it would do everything to stop him from functioning as the PAC chief claiming he does not belong to the opposition.
Kalyani, like his predecessor Mukul Roy, is a BJP MLA who joined the TMC without resigning from the Assembly.
Roy submitted his resignation as the chairman of the committee last week, citing ill health.
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari threatened that the party may move court to stop Kalyani from discharging responsibilities as the PAC chairman, contending that he no longer belonged to the BJP and that post traditionally goes to an opposition member.
In response, Speaker Biman Banerjee said, "As per available document in the Assembly, Krishna Kalyani remains with the BJP. I went by the rule book to appoint him. If anyone wants to move court on the issue, it is for the person to decide. The doors of the judiciary are open to everyone."
Banerjee said that it is the Speaker's prerogative to appoint the PAC chairman.
TMC leader Krishna Kalyani won the Assembly election from the Raiganj seat on a BJP ticket last year.
He returned to the TMC later but did not resign as a legislator.
He was recently appointed as the PAC chief in place of Mukul Roy.
The Speaker, in June, rejected Adhikari's plea for disqualifying Roy as an MLA, saying he did not find merit in the argument.
The Calcutta High Court on April 11 set aside the Speaker's earlier order dismissing a petition by Adhikari which sought disqualification of Roy as a member of the House on the ground of defection and restored the matter for fresh consideration.
Another BJP legislator had moved the high court in July last year challenging Roy's election as chairman of the PAC and prayed for the nomination of an opposition member to the post as per tradition.