Civic officials takes back resignation

Statesman News Service

MALDA, March 3: The district Trinamul Congress president, Mr Dulal Sarkar, has withdrawn his recent decision to resign from the post of vice-chairman of the Congress-led EBM. The withdrawal of his resignation appears to be in response to objections by the chairman of the EBM, although Mr Sakar has been accused by the Opposition of using his resignation as a publicity stunt.

On Saturday, the district Trinamul Congress president, Mr Dulal Sarkar, had announced his intention to step down from the post of vice-chairman of the Congress-led English Bazaar Municipality (EBM).

However, the chairman of EBM and Intuc district president, Mr Narenranath Tiwari, did not accept his resignation. Mr Sarkar has consequently withdrawn his resignation, as of today.

Mr Tiwari had held a meeting with 12 councilors yesterday, and a decision was reached to request the withdrawal of Mr Sarkar's resignation.

The EBM chairman said: "I didn't want to lose my deputy. When Miss Mamata Banerjee is trying hard to adjust seats with the Congress, its appropriate for a Trinamul member to fill a post in a Congress-led civic body.”

Mr Sarkar, however, has said that his decision to step down from the post was prompted by Miss Mamata Banerjee herself, although he was quick to state that Miss Banerjee had not asked him to withdraw support from the Congress-led board.

When asked why Miss Mamata Banerjee had changed her mind, Mr Dulal Sarkar pointed out that Miss Banarjee is making top arrangements with Mr Pranab Mukherjee. "Mamata-di told me yesterday that there was no longer any need to quit the post of vice-chairman,” Mr Sarkar said.

The Opposition councilors of the EBM have condemned the incident as a "drama" stirred up by the vice-chancellor to satisfy the individual interests of those involved. The Opposition claims that Mamata Banerjee had previously asked Mr Sarkar to quit the post of vice-chancellor. They allege that Mr Sarkar had stirred up media hype and attempted to create a crisis in order to retain his post.