Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has convened a meeting with all Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) MLAs on Tuesday in the Bengal Assembly.

The first such meeting with all SC and ST legislators became a talking point in political circles amid speculation about the possible triggers behind the decision.

Of the 294 seats in the Assembly, 68 are reserved for SC and 16 for ST candidates.

Trinamul sources said the ruling party had fared poorly in areas dominated by SCs and STs in the Lok Sabha polls and the meeting may be a fallout of that.

“Our party had the unequivocal backing of the SC and ST communities before. But the trend of shifting of political allegiance of the SCs and STs towards the saffron camp may have prompted the chief minister to send a signal that she is committed towards their development,” said a source.

Sanjay Thade, principal secretary of the backward classes welfare department, has invited SC and ST legislators of all parties, said a source. Minister Rajib Banerjee will also be present in the meeting at Syed Nausher Ali Hall on the Assembly campus, as will junior ministers Sandhya Rani Tudu and Ashima Patra.

“This the first time since I became a BJP MLA from Alipurduar’s Madarihat in 2016 that I have got an invitation to a government programme and the opportunity to directly interact with the chief minister,” BJP legislature party leader Manoj Tigga said.

Confirming his party’s participation in the meeting, Tigga said he would reel off suggestions for the government to improve the lot of the SCs and STs.

On Monday, MLAs from the ruling and the Opposition camps were overheard in the Assembly corridors discussing the proposed meeting and its possible triggers.

“Three of the Congress MLAs have got invitation for tomorrow’s meeting. Earlier, none of us got any invitation from the government in administrative meetings that the chief minister had virtually turned into party meetings with taxpayers’ money. Our MLAs will attend the meet (on Tuesday),” said chief Opposition whip and veteran Congress MLA from Behrampore, Manoj Chakraborty.

Left legislature party leader Sujan Chakraborty also confirmed participation. “It is the duty of the state government to hold such meetings at regular intervals. But unfortunately, such an initiative took eight long years for the Trinamul government,” the CPM MLA from Jadavpur said.