Mamata likely to contest from Bhabanipur as sitting TMC MLA resigns

Banerjee, who lost the recently concluded polls from Nandigram, needs to get elected to the assembly within six months to hold on to the chief minister's chair

Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Agriculture Minister Sobhandeb Chatopadhyay resigned as MLA of the Bhabanipur constituency in Kolkata on Friday opening the door for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to contest from the seat in a by-election. Mamata, who lost to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari in the Nandigram constituency in the Assembly election has to get elected to the Assembly within six months to continue in the post of the Chief Minister.

TMC sources said that it was likely that the party supremo will contest from Bhhsbinpur adding that she will take the final decision in this regard. Refusing to divulge any details in this regard TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said that the party will issue a statement at an appropriate time.

Chattopadhyay submitted his resignation to the Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay at the Assembly. The Speaker said that Chattopadhyay has resigned as MLA of Bhabanipur constituency voluntarily and his resignation letter has been accepted after confirming that he took the decision on his own and without any threat or pressure.

“ The Chief Minister has to get elected to the Assembly within six months. I have contested from the Bhabanipur seat in this Assembly election. I have tendered my resignation today so that she can be elected from Bhabanipur,” said Chattopadhyay.

He also said that he and the party want the Chief Minister to contest from Bhabanipur and the future course of his political career will be decided by her.

A section of TMC leaders said that the party may nominate Chattopadhyay to the Rajya Sabha but the veteran TMC leader made it clear that personally he was not interested in going to the Rajya Sabha.

“ We must ensure Mamata Banerjee’s victory from Bhabanipur as Bengal can surge ahead in the path of development only under her leadership,” said Chattopadhyay. Bhabinipur, where Mamata had consecutively won in the 2011 and 2016 Assembly elections is considered to be her bastion,

However, another section of leaders in the ruling party in the State said that he may be fielded from the Khardah seat where by-polls will be held due to the death of the victorious TMC candidate Kajol Sinha from Covid-19.