West Bengal’s 18th Legislative Assembly began on Friday with a historic first — the session opened with the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’. But the symbolic start quickly gave way to fierce political confrontation as BJP and Trinamool Congress legislators clashed inside the House with aggressive slogan battles, protests, and a dramatic walkout ahead of the Speaker election.
The opening session marked a significant shift in the state’s parliamentary tradition, with ‘Vande Mataram’ being formally used to commence Assembly proceedings for the first time in Bengal’s legislative history. However, the atmosphere inside the Assembly turned turbulent within minutes as tensions between the ruling BJP and opposition Trinamool Congress escalated sharply.
As proceedings began, BJP MLAs from the treasury benches raised slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.” In response, Trinamool legislators countered with chants of “Joy Bangla,” triggering loud exchanges across the House.
The confrontation intensified further when BJP lawmakers allegedly shouted slogans such as “chor chor” and “file chor Mamata,” directly targeting former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool leadership. Opposition MLAs hit back by accusing the ruling side of electoral malpractice and raising slogans related to alleged “vote loot.”
The Assembly soon descended into chaos, with both sides engaging in heated verbal exchanges while the Speaker election process was about to begin.
Amid the uproar, Trinamool Congress legislators staged a walkout from the House before the Speaker election commenced, leaving the Assembly temporarily without an opposition presence during the crucial proceedings.
The Trinamool Congress also objected to the manner in which the national song was rendered, alleging that it had not been sung properly. However, party legislators returned to the House a few minutes later.
Despite the disruptions, the ruling BJP government proceeded with the Speaker election process. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari formally proposed the name of Cooch Behar South MLA Rathindranath Bose for the post of Speaker. The proposal was seconded by minister Dilip Ghosh.
Rathindranath Bose was eventually elected Speaker of the Assembly.
Political observers believe the dramatic scenes on the very first day of the new Assembly session indicate that confrontations between the ruling BJP and the opposition Trinamool Congress are likely to intensify in the coming months.
The combination of a symbolic beginning with ‘Vande Mataram’ and the sharp slogan war inside the House has already become a defining moment in Bengal’s changing political landscape, reflecting growing ideological polarisation within the state’s parliamentary culture.
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