Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator and Bidhannagar Mayor Sabyasachi Dutta Thursday resigned from the civic body post, complaining lack of cooperation from the West Bengal government.
Dutta’s announcement came a day after the Calcutta High Court quashed a notification by the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation’s joint commissioner for convening a councillors’ meeting to move no-confidence motion against him.
“I have always worked for the welfare of poor and working class people and would continue to do so till my last breath. I did not get enough cooperation from the state government. As a people’s representative if I am not able to work as per the Municipal Corporation Act, I have no right to hold on to the mayor’s post. Hence, I have tendered my resignation,” Dutta told reporters.
“I have sent my resignation letter to Corporation Chairperson Krishna Chakraborty, the commissioner and 39 councillors,” he said.
When asked whether he would quit TMC or join any other political outfit, Dutta said nothing had been decided in that regard. “It’s not mandatory for me to be in politics. Also, it’s not necessary that I will have to compromise with unethical practices. I have never done that and will not be do so,” Dutta said.
Alleging lack of coordination between different departments, Dutta said he was facing hostility as mayor from a section of civic body representatives and TMC leaders involved in illegal constructions and filling up of water bodies in the Rajarhat-Gopalpur area as he was against that.
The nearly four-month drama centring around Dutta’s controversial statements about the TMC and his affinity with former TMC leader Mukul Roy, now in the BJP, reached climax with the party recently clipping his wings and asking him to quit, while empowering the municipal corporation’s deputy mayor to take over most of the mayoral responsibilities.
Speculations have been rife about Dutta’s political intentions since Roy dropped in at his Salt Lake residence before the elections. The incident was followed by a controversy over a social media post that apparently came from Dutta’s mobile.
