TMC Leaders Decline to Contest Kolkata Municipal Elections
Several senior TMC leaders, including former mayor Firhad Hakim, have opted out of the upcoming Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections.
Kolkata, November 2 (Daily Kiran) : Several senior leaders from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) have announced their decision not to participate in the upcoming Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) elections scheduled for December. Notable figures such as former mayor Firhad Hakim and Sovan Chatterjee have confirmed their withdrawal from the electoral race.
Many veteran councilors and borough chairpersons are also hesitant to enter the fray. This reluctance has made it challenging for the TMC factions, led by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and opposition leader Ritabrata Banerjee, to find candidates for all 209 KMC wards.
Following a recent delimitation, the number of wards in the civic body increased from 144 to 209. Firhad Hakim, a four-time TMC MLA and a prominent member of the rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee, publicly stated that he has no intention of contesting in the upcoming elections.
Hakim has dismissed rumors regarding his daughter Priyadarshini entering the electoral arena. He previously served as the mayor of Kolkata and as West Bengal’s minister for municipal affairs and urban development under Mamata Banerjee’s administration.
Sovan Chatterjee, the former mayor of Kolkata, has distanced himself from active politics, further diminishing hopes for his candidacy in the December civic elections.
The situation is similar for former KMC deputy mayor Atin Ghosh. The ward where he was elected for many years is now reserved for women. Reports indicate that Ghosh has expressed hesitation about contesting from another ward.
Two former members of the Mayor-in-Council (MMIC) who have shown interest in running are Sandeep Ranjan Bakshi from South Kolkata and Swapna Samaddar from North Kolkata.
Other veteran councilors, including Ghanashree Baha, Manisha Basu, and Ratna Sur, have also stated their intention to step back from the municipal elections and leave active politics.
One veteran councilor who opted out explained that ongoing legal disputes regarding the party’s name and election symbol make it uncertain whether candidates will receive party funds to cover campaign expenses. In today’s political climate, it is nearly impossible for a candidate to finance their campaign entirely out of pocket.
