35 TMC councillors move no-confidence motion against Sabyasachi Dutta

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress councillors moved a no-confidence motion against Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Mayor Sabyasachi Dutta on Tuesday, a day after he was asked to step down from the post.

Thirty five out of 39 Trinamool councillors submitted a no-confidence motion against Dutta to Krishna Chakraborty, the chairperson of BMC. Chakraborty said she would send the letter regarding the same to the joint Municipal Commissioner as the Municipal Commissioner Pritha Sarkar is indisposed.

The issue of the no-confidence motion is likely to be discussed on July 18. Dutta himself received a copy of the letter on Tuesday evening.

The letter which was submitted to Chakraborty, reads: "We the undersigned elected councillors of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation have lost confidence on the activities of Shri Sabyasachi Dutta, present Mayor of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation. His manner of functioning has lost our confidence. We therefore submit our requisition before you in terms of Section 18 (C) of West Bengal Municipal Corporation Act 2006 and request you to convene a Special Board Meeting to consider a resolution for removal of the Mayor. Copy of the draft resolution intended to be moved is enclosed herewith for your kind perusal."

State Urban Development minister Firhad Hakim had asked Dutta to tender his resignation on Monday. Earlier on Sunday, Hakim met councillors of BMC at Trinamool Bhavan and discussed about the anti-party activities of Dutta.

On Friday, the BMC Mayor had addressed a meeting which was organised by some employees of West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Limited (WBSEDCL), where he had demanded that the due DA of the employees be cleared immediately.

Following Dutta's statement, both Hakim and Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee had criticised him for "breaking the discipline of the party." Hakim had said that "nobody should consider himself bigger than the party," while Chatterjee had said that "the silence of the party should be not be considered its weakness."

There are 41 councillors in BMC, of which 39 belong to Trinamool Congress. To get the no-confidence motion passed, the nod of 21 councillors will be required.

There had been a rumour in the past few months that Dutta would join BJP. Shortly before the general elections, BJP leader Mukul Roy had visited Dutta's residence. However, Dutta had dismissed the rumour. On Sunday, Roy again met Dutta at a club in Salt Lake. Dutta had described Roy's visit as a courtesy call.

On the other hand, Dutta's differences with BMC Deputy Mayor Tapas Chatterjee is a well-known issue. He even refused to share the dais with Chatterjee at a function organised to celebrate the birth and death anniversary of Dr B C Roy on July 1.