Kolkata, 10 May (H.S.) : The Trinamool Congress on Saturday night announced senior party leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of the Opposition in the 18th West Bengal Assembly.

Chattopadhyay, who won from the Ballygunge Assembly constituency, was named for the post in a statement issued by Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

The announcement comes a day after Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the ninth Chief Minister of West Bengal and the first BJP Chief Minister in the state since Independence. By virtue of his position as Chief Minister, Adhikari will serve as the Leader of the House in the Assembly.

Chattopadhyay had served as the state Agriculture Minister and Parliamentary Affairs Minister in the previous Trinamool Congress government led by Mamata Banerjee between 2021 and 2026. He had earlier also held the Power portfolio in the state cabinet.

The party also named two women legislators as Deputy Leaders of the Opposition. Actress-turned-politician Nayna Bandyopadhyay, MLA from the Chowringhee Assembly constituency, has been appointed to the role alongside Asima Patra, who represents the Dhaniakhali constituency in Hooghly district.

Meanwhile, senior Trinamool Congress leader Firhad Hakim has been appointed as the Chief Whip of the party’s legislative wing in the Assembly.

Hakim, popularly known as Bobby, is currently the Mayor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and had served as the state Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister throughout the Trinamool Congress governments from 2011 to 2026.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh