BJP changes tack, says will back all-party resolution to retain ‘eligible’ teachers
Times of India | 2 September 2025
Kolkata: In a shift in stance, Bengal leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Monday said BJP would support an all-party resolution to retain "eligible" teachers in school jobs if state govt tabled such a motion in the House during the ongoing three-day special session.
Adhikari's comment prompted Trinamool MP and senior lawyer Kalyan Banerjee to say: "That stage is gone."
Banerjee said "the core reasoning of the apex court to order retests is the fact that the entire examination process (SSC 2016) was vitiated". "The fresh recruitments, also as per the apex court's orders, also start in a week. This is impossible. They could have brought in this fresh thinking much before, not at this stage," he added.
Speaking to reporters outside the assembly after the first day's session, Adhikari said he has advised chief whip Shankar Ghosh to write to speaker Biman Banerjee requesting a 30-minute slot to discuss the matter on Sept 4, the scheduled final day of the current session.
"I will personally write to chief secretary Manoj Pant by Monday and urge him to move the Supreme Court once again, this time armed with this unanimous all-party assembly resolution and pray before the top court to consider allowing untainted teachers to retain their jobs," Adhikari said.
"Now that SSC has been forced to publish a list of ‘ineligible' candidates, however faulty, let state govt table a resolution in the House naming the 15,000-odd ‘eligible' teachers and stating that they should be allowed to retain their jobs. The crisis that has cropped up on account of an exceptional turn of events in the state should be addressed by rising above political colours. We will support the resolution without a debate if it is tabled," the BJP neta added.
"If vacancies still persist, the state can then go ahead and fill them up by means of an exam conducted through a transparent process," he said.
Adhikari also spoke to a section of protesting teachers demanding an all-party resolution on the matter. "I understand it would be difficult for you to start preparing afresh for the exams that you already took nine years ago. That's why we are trying to solve the crisis along with state govt," Adhikari was heard telling the agitating teachers.
Welcoming the move, the teachers said this could well be the last attempt to save their jobs, which were earned on the basis of merit.