<p>Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee suggested the new name and unanimity was reached on it, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee told reporters after the meeting in the state assembly.<br /><br />"It has been unanimously decided that state's new name will be Paschimbanga from now in all languages," he said.</p>.<p>"We wanted a change in the name of the state to get the administrative advantage," he said.</p>.<p>The chief minister presided over the meeting attended by Trinamool Congress, besides ally Congress and SUCI(C), Left Front constituents CPI-M, CPI, RSP, Forward Bloc as also GJM, among other parties.</p>.<p>Banerjee had earlier empowered Chatterjee and Leader of the Opposition Surjyakanta Mishra to study the new name for the state.<br /><br />Chatterjee said the letter 'W' in West Bengal came low down alphabetically which resulted in disadvantage for the state.<br /><br />"Paschimbanga as a new name also mirrors history," he said, adding a resolution would be moved in the Assembly for adoption which would be then referred to the Centre.<br /><br />Forward Bloc sources said the choice was made from among the suggestions of 'Paschimbanga', 'Bangla' and 'Bangabhumi'.<br /><br />CPI-M's Mishra, who flanked Chatterjee at the press meet, said, "Whatever be the opinions in the past, unanimity was reached on the issue at the all-party meeting."<br /><br />Once the bill in this regard is passed by two-thirds majority in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and ratified by the President, the state would get the new name.<br /><br />Chatterjee said that the meeting also discussed bifurcation of Jalpaiguri, Burdwan, West Midnapore and North 24 Parganas districts.<br /><br />It was decided that district magistrates would be asked to seek the opinion of the people before proceeding with the move.<br /><br />In the past also, similar moves were taken to rename West Bengal -- once in 1974 during Congress rule and later in 1999 when Left Front was in power. The moves did not mature due to various reasons.<br /><br /></p>
<p>Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee suggested the new name and unanimity was reached on it, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee told reporters after the meeting in the state assembly.<br /><br />"It has been unanimously decided that state's new name will be Paschimbanga from now in all languages," he said.</p>.<p>"We wanted a change in the name of the state to get the administrative advantage," he said.</p>.<p>The chief minister presided over the meeting attended by Trinamool Congress, besides ally Congress and SUCI(C), Left Front constituents CPI-M, CPI, RSP, Forward Bloc as also GJM, among other parties.</p>.<p>Banerjee had earlier empowered Chatterjee and Leader of the Opposition Surjyakanta Mishra to study the new name for the state.<br /><br />Chatterjee said the letter 'W' in West Bengal came low down alphabetically which resulted in disadvantage for the state.<br /><br />"Paschimbanga as a new name also mirrors history," he said, adding a resolution would be moved in the Assembly for adoption which would be then referred to the Centre.<br /><br />Forward Bloc sources said the choice was made from among the suggestions of 'Paschimbanga', 'Bangla' and 'Bangabhumi'.<br /><br />CPI-M's Mishra, who flanked Chatterjee at the press meet, said, "Whatever be the opinions in the past, unanimity was reached on the issue at the all-party meeting."<br /><br />Once the bill in this regard is passed by two-thirds majority in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and ratified by the President, the state would get the new name.<br /><br />Chatterjee said that the meeting also discussed bifurcation of Jalpaiguri, Burdwan, West Midnapore and North 24 Parganas districts.<br /><br />It was decided that district magistrates would be asked to seek the opinion of the people before proceeding with the move.<br /><br />In the past also, similar moves were taken to rename West Bengal -- once in 1974 during Congress rule and later in 1999 when Left Front was in power. The moves did not mature due to various reasons.<br /><br /></p>