In West Bengal, a simple query from a new BJP MP might embarrass the Mamata Banerjee-led administration and provide the opposition with new ammunition. The answer would otherwise be seen as a routine statistic.

West Bengal's opposition BJP has frequently claimed that the state's present government is "anti-industry." Samik Bhattacharya, a Rajya Sabha MP for the BJP, asked a parliamentary question on Tuesday. The central government is expected to respond that up to 2,227 companies left West Bengal between 2019 and 2024 in search for better possibilities in other states. 39 companies are identified out of the vast majority that the Centre said "shifted their registered office from the state of West Bengal to other states," according to Union Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra. According to him, these are involved in a variety of activities, including commission agents, trade, manufacturing, and financing.

Despite Bhattacharya's inquiry into the rationale for the departure, the government avoided criticism by pointing to laws that permit companies to relocate. But it acknowledged in passing that these companies cited "administrative, operational, convenience, and cost-effectiveness" as some of the reasons for moving. The Covid-19 outbreak began in 2020, causing the economy to come to a halt. It took over a year for the economy to recover. However, it's unclear if this had any impact on the more than 2,000 companies that have left Bengal in the past five years in search of better opportunities.

“One thing is for sure that there is a continuous capital flow outwards of Bengal and the powers that be in the state have been unable to check it," Bhattacharya told News18.