Left Front chairman Biman Bose, who attended the swearing-in ceremony of Mamata Banerjee along with other CPI(M) leaders, today claimed the Left parties have always shown political courtesy in the state.
In a bid to counter criticism often levelled against the Left parties for showing discourtesy to their political adversaries, Bose argued, "In West Bengal, Left parties have shown political courtesy."
Bose, along with former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, former state finance minister Asim Dasgupta and former Assembly Speaker Hasim Abdul Halim attended the ceremony.
Political observers said in other states the simple gesture of opposition party leaders attending swearing-in ceremonies would be perfectly normal, but in West Bengal it assumed a special significance as the CPI(M) and the Trinamool Congress rarely saw eye to eye.
During the election campaign, former MP Anil Basu's use of filthy language against Banerjee was severely criticised by the Election Commission.
Biman Bose and some CPI-M leaders as well as some from the Trinamool camp were accused of using unparliamentary language.