New Delhi, May 21: An investigation by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) into properties allegedly linked to Abhishek Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary and Lok Sabha member, has presented a significant political and organizational challenge for the party.
Reports indicate that notices were issued under the provisions of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, with officials visiting various locations in Kolkata, including Santiniketan.
A report highlighted that a notice affixed to one property was later found torn, symbolizing a small yet politically significant incident amid ongoing tensions.
Critics have long alleged that numerous properties are registered in the name of the young leader Abhishek Banerjee and his purported company, Leaps and Bounds, even during the tenure of the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government.
The TMC has consistently dismissed such allegations as attempts to “throw mud.”
According to reports, KMC officials have issued notices regarding certain properties associated with Abhishek Banerjee, requesting approved building plans and related documents. The aim is to verify whether construction activities align with approved plans and to check for any outstanding taxes.
A TMC official claimed that this incident has provided some leaders within the organization an opportunity to negotiate with the “heir” (Abhishek Banerjee) on their terms.
This issue was indirectly raised in a recent meeting, where a leader, once considered close to Abhishek Banerjee, reportedly stated that there are topics requiring detailed discussion.
Senior TMC leaders appeared to distance themselves from the unfolding situation, as Abhishek Banerjee serves as the party’s national general secretary and is one of its most prominent faces.
The KMC is itself a civic body run by the TMC, making it difficult for the party to claim that the actions are entirely a matter of external harassment.
Mayor Firhad Hakim, a four-time TMC MLA and former minister in Mamata Banerjee’s previous West Bengal cabinet, has distanced himself from the incident, denying any prior knowledge of the investigation into such properties by the KMC.
Meanwhile, in a Facebook post late Thursday evening, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh labeled the allegations as false. He urged the public to examine Abhishek Banerjee’s declared assets and the properties mentioned in the affidavits submitted with his nomination papers for the three Lok Sabha elections he contested from Diamond Harbour.
In 2024, the TMC general secretary declared total assets exceeding ₹2.32 crore, while he had approximately ₹36 lakh in debts. His personal income for 2022-2023 was ₹82.58 lakh, which is lower than the ₹90.5 lakh declared in previous financial years and significantly less than the ₹1.51 crore income reported earlier.
–
Leave a Comment