He has put in his papers and his resignation has been accepted. Earlier too he had resigned but I didn't accept it, says Mamata
The mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and West Bengal Fire and Housing Minister Sovan Chatterjee stepped down from his ministerial posts following what sources claimed to be an "an altercation with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee".
"He has put in his papers and his resignation has been accepted. Earlier too he had resigned but I didn't accept it. He has been asked to resign from the mayor's post as well. A new mayor will be appointed in due time," the Chief Minister told the media.
At the State Assembly on Tuesday, while answering CPI(M) MLA Khagen Murmu's question, Chatterjee said that about 25 lakh people benefitted from the state government's housing schemes. Mamata intervened and said that the figure would be 40 lakh and not 25.
Later, sources said, the 56-year-old was severely reprimanded by the CM because of not being updated of the latest figure. Reportedly, she had also said that his private life was affecting his work and that the departments under him were being neglected. Rumours of Chatterjee's relationship with a college professor following his divorce has been doing the rounds for the past one year.
Following this, Chatterjee went to Mamata's room and tendered his resignation. Sources said that the resignation letter had been sent to the Governor via the Chief Secretary.
It was also found that State Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim was handed over added responsibility of the two departments and Municipal Commissioner Khalil Ahmed was asked to look after municipal affairs till a new Mayor takes over.
Mamata had been clipping the former minister's wings regularly for the past one year. First, the environment portfolio was taken away from him, later he was removed from the post of party president for South 24 Parganas district also. Chatterjee was not available for a comment.
Sovan's former wife Ratna Chatterjee said that he had brought it upon himself. "He had been one of the closest to Mamata and had worked for 30-35 years to reach the position he holds at present. I don't recognise him anymore," she told the media.
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