Kolkata, 03 June (H.S.) : Trinamool Congress (TMC) suffered another major setback on Wednesday amid the continuing political turmoil in West Bengal, with Kolkata Mayor and former state minister Firhad Hakim resigning from his post, according to party sources.

TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh said Hakim took the decision after seeking permission from party chief Mamata Banerjee. According to Ghosh, Hakim informed Banerjee that it had become increasingly difficult to function effectively within the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) under the prevailing circumstances. While Banerjee initially advised him against stepping down, she later agreed to his request after he expressed his desire to resign with dignity.

Hakim was among several TMC leaders who attended an administrative review meeting convened by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at Nabanna on Wednesday. Party sources said he submitted his resignation as mayor shortly after returning from the meeting.

Hakim first became Mayor of Kolkata in November 2018 while serving as the state's Urban Development Minister. He made history as the first Muslim mayor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, which was established in 1876. He was re-elected to the post in 2021 and has since simultaneously handled key responsibilities in both the state government and civic administration. His sudden resignation after nearly eight years in public office has triggered widespread political discussion.

The development comes just a day after Tarak Singh, a member of the Mayor-in-Council in charge of drainage, resigned from his position. Following his resignation, Singh openly criticised the TMC leadership, alleging that the party had failed to protect its workers and supporters. He also announced that he would not contest future elections on a TMC ticket and publicly praised Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

Notably, after Singh’s resignation, Hakim had stated that the Kolkata Municipal Corporation functioned as a united team and that all decisions were taken collectively. His own resignation a day later has therefore acquired added political significance.

Wednesday proved to be a turbulent day for the Trinamool Congress on multiple fronts. Earlier in the day, expelled TMC MLA Ritabrata Bandyopadhyay was recognised as the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly with the support of 58 legislators. The party leadership also announced the dissolution of all organisational committees across the state as part of a major restructuring exercise.

The move is widely seen as an attempt to contain growing internal dissent and prevent further fragmentation following the party’s heavy defeat in the Assembly elections. TMC is expected to reorganise its student, youth, women and labour wings as part of the restructuring process.

Amid these developments, Mamata Banerjee held discussions at her Kalighat residence with senior party leaders, including Abhishek Banerjee, Kunal Ghosh and Chandrima Bhattacharya. The situation was further complicated by reports that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had issued a summons to Abhishek Banerjee in connection with the primary teacher recruitment case.

Against this backdrop, Firhad Hakim’s resignation has intensified speculation about the future of TMC’s civic leadership and highlighted the deepening challenges confronting the party during a period of significant political uncertainty.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh