Kolkata, 19 May (H.S.) : Trinamool Congress chairperson and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to hold a meeting with the party’s 80 newly elected MLAs on Tuesday to formulate the party’s strategy as the principal opposition force in the state Assembly.
Trinamool Congress national general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee is also expected to attend the meeting, which will take place in the afternoon.
According to party sources, the meeting is likely to focus on the political and administrative challenges being faced by Trinamool Congress-controlled civic bodies following the change in government in West Bengal.
One of the key issues expected to be discussed is the alleged lack of cooperation from sections of the bureaucracy towards civic administrations still governed by the Trinamool Congress.
The meeting comes amid a fresh controversy involving the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), where former state minister and senior Trinamool Congress leader Firhad Hakim continues to serve as Mayor.
Recently, KMC authorities issued notices under Section 400(1) of the KMC Act, 1980, to 17 properties allegedly linked to Abhishek Banerjee within Kolkata municipal limits. The notices reportedly concern allegations of illegal construction and provide property owners an opportunity to present their case before civic authorities.
Copies of the notices were also pasted on the walls of the concerned properties.
The development assumes significance as it comes shortly after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, while addressing a public meeting at Falta in South 24 Parganas district last week, hinted at investigations into properties allegedly connected to a corporate entity linked to Abhishek Banerjee. Although the Chief Minister did not mention Banerjee by name, he referred to him as “Mr Nephew.”
During the same address, Adhikari claimed that he had obtained a list of 24 properties allegedly associated with a company linked to the Trinamool Congress leader from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
On Monday, the Chief Minister reiterated that his government is committed to taking strict legal action against those allegedly involved in corruption and misuse of public funds during the previous Trinamool Congress regime.
In another major announcement, Adhikari declared the formation of two separate inquiry commissions headed by retired judges of the Calcutta High Court to investigate cases related to “institutional corruption” and “crimes against women.”
Retired Justice Biswajit Basu will head the commission probing institutional corruption, while retired Justice Samapti Chattopadhyay will lead the panel examining cases related to crimes against women. Both commissions are expected to begin functioning from June, according to the Chief Minister.
Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
