In an inexplicably furtive development, the Trinamool Congress top brass have divested Kolkata Mayor and key member in Mamata Banerjee Cabinet Sovan Chatterjee off his organisational charges ahead of the crucial panchayat elections.
Chatterjee another Man Friday of Banerjee who once vowed even to “lay down my life” at the instance of the Chief Minister — whom he still called Maa — had a few days ago lost his Z-plus security cover leading to speculations about his political future.
This more so after State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said “we are keeping a close watch on the affairs of the Mayor.”
Chatterjee who was conspicuous by his absence from the crucial Trinamool core committee meeting a few days ago went “missing” even on Thursday from a meeting held in view of the upcoming panchayat elections. In his absence the meeting was conducted by State party president Subroto Bakshi.
Chatterjee who has been a useful fund raiser for his party was being investigated against in the high-profile Sharada (chit fund) and Narada cases. The party leaders would not mince words on whether actions against Chatterjee had anything to do with alleged BJP efforts to devour him a la Mukul Roy to give the ruling party a big jolt in South 24 Parganas the second largest district in the State — in terms of numerical strength of MPs and MlAs.
Meanwhile in a sudden but curious development suspended Trinamool leader and Sharada accused Kunal Ghosh on Thursday called on party general secretary Partho Chatterjee raising speculations about a possible rapprochement between the party and the rebel.