Speaker rejects TMC expulsion of Ritabrata, Sandipan

Kolkata: Bengal speaker Rathindra Bose said on Thursday that Trinamool's expulsion of MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha did not happen in accordance with the party's constitution."According to the party constitution, the expulsion letter isn't valid," said Bose. He explained that expulsion could not happen abruptly in one day and that a show-cause notice was required to be issued and time given to respond.Elaborating on why the speaker accepted Ritabrata Banerjee as leader of opposition, Bose said, "They have the required number of legislators."The speaker's comments assume significance because Trinamool has decided to move Calcutta HC over Banerjee's elevation as LoP. It argues that an expelled MLA cannot be made LoP of the same party.Bose said: "I acted according to law. Nothing more or less. Previously, there were issues with signatures on the party's letter. We handed it over to CID for investigation."Bengal minister and BJP senior Tapas Ray backed the speaker's move. "The speaker's decision is absolute. The speaker has decided that the letter signed by 58 MLAs was in order and gave his ruling. This is final. The CM is the leader of the House. LoP has also been appointed now.""Trinamool is imploding. This was bound to happen. When she (Mamata Banerjee) was breaking other parties, she should have realised that it would come back to haunt her," Ray added.