Why Did Howrah Municipal Corporation Chief Sujay Chakraborty Resign?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Sujay Chakraborty has resigned from his role as Chairman of HMC.
- His resignation is cited as a personal decision.
- There is dissatisfaction among party members regarding municipal services.
- Both top posts in the Board of Administrators are now vacant.
- Upcoming elections are anticipated following legislative developments.
Kolkata, Oct 27 (NationPress) The Chairman of the Board of Administrators at Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC), Sujay Chakraborty, has stepped down from his position.
On Monday, he disclosed that he had submitted his resignation letter to the State Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister, Firhad Hakim, on Sunday.
Chakraborty has held the role of Chairman of the Board of Administrators at HMC since August 18, 2021. Previously, he had attempted to resign but that request was not accepted. This time, he has reiterated his desire to have his resignation accepted.
Despite the circumstances, the Trinamool Congress leader emphasized that his resignation is purely for personal reasons. "No one was pushing for my removal. This choice was made for personal reasons. If the party assigns me another role, I will gladly take it on," he stated to reporters.
Interestingly, Saikat Chowdhury, the vice-chairperson of the board of administrators at HMC, resigned just a few days prior, leading to speculation that this decision was influenced by the party.
Trinamool sources indicate that a significant faction within the party was dissatisfied with Chakraborty's performance. There are concerns that public discontent regarding municipal services in Howrah could impact the party's standing in the upcoming Assembly elections. Nevertheless, Chakraborty maintained that he received no directive from the party regarding his resignation, leaving the acceptance of his resignation uncertain.
The last municipal elections in Howrah took place in 2013, and services have been functioning without any elected councilors since then. Chakraborty assumed his role as chairman of the Board of Administrators in August 2021, overseeing this vital city adjacent to Kolkata, which has been under administrative control since.
Following Chakraborty's resignation announcement on Monday and the recent departure of the vice-chairperson, both top positions of the board of administrators are now vacant.
Additionally, the 'Howrah Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill' that was approved by the West Bengal Legislative Assembly in 2021 had been stalled at the West Bengal Governor's office for an extended period. Recently, Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has signed the bill, paving the way for elections to occur soon.