After losing Nandigram, Mamata Banerjee set to contest from Bhabanipur

Kolkata, May 21: Trinamool Congress MLA Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay resigned from Bhabanipur assembly seat, paving the way for Mamata's re-election from her bastion. Mamata Banerjee faced a crushing defeat against her protege-turned-nemesis Suvendhu Adhikarithe in the recently-concluded West Bengal Assembly election from the Nandigram Assembly seat.

Despite a loss at Nandigram, Mamata Banerjee can still remain the Chief Minister of West Bengal.

Article 164 (4) of the Indian Constitution says a minister who for any period of six consecutive months is not a member of the Legislature of the State shall at the expiration of that period cease to be a Minister.

It may be recalled that when the TMC won the Bengal elections in 2011, Mamata Banerjee was a member of parliament. She then contested from the Bhabanipur seat a few months later and got elected.

Chattopadhyay, said that it was a decision of the party and he will abide by it.

"I am going to resign as the MLA of Bhabanipur seat. I will tender my resignation today. This is my decision as well as that of the party. I am happily abiding by it," the agriculture minister told PTI.

Despite resignation, Chattopadhyay will stay on as the agriculture minister in the Mamata Banerjee cabinet.

The septuagenarian politician, is likely to contest from Khardah seat, where bypoll has been necessitated following the death of party leader Kajal Sinha.

Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay had won the seat for the party by securing 57.71 per cent votes.