Kolkata: Even as a section of Trinamool Congress members want Firhad Hakim to continue as the mayor to prevent an imminent dissolution of the civic board at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), there is a growing sense that the party leadership might field a new face as the mayor if Hakim insists on stepping down. Amid this uncertainty, KMC chairperson Mala Roy on Thursday announced that the KMC House will be convened on June 19. If this materializes, it will be the first such meeting after the state assembly polls.
Marathon Meetings and Emerging Situation
The KMC chairperson on Thursday held marathon meetings with the mayor-in-council members and took stock of the emerging situation. Some members of the mayor-in-council (MMiCs) reportedly requested the mayor not to take any decision in haste, as it would lead to greater turmoil within the KMC. According to a MMiC who has decided to stand by the mayor, if Hakim chooses to put in his papers, there will be no justification to select another face and ask him to continue, as the tenure of the KMC board will expire in December. Several MMiCs are ready to quit if the mayor decides to step down, said a senior MMiC. We think the mayor will change his mind and refrain from resigning from his post, the MMiC added.
Pressure Mounts on Hakim
Having failed to take back administrative control of the Trinamool Congress-run KMC board, Hakim is likely to step down this weekend. If everything works according to plan, Hakim will step down on Friday, said a source close to the mayor. According to another source, pressure was mounting on Hakim to put in his papers as he was left with a precarious position, not being able to call the shots in the civic corridors. In fact, Hakim has reportedly told Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee that he was feeling suffocated and sought permission from her to resign.
