Sovan Chatterjee resigns from post of Kolkata mayor as directed by CM

Kolkata, Nov 22: Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sovan Chatterjee resigned from the post of Kolkata mayor on Thursday as directed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Chatterjee sent his resignation letter through a messenger to Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) chairperson Mala Roy.

Roy, accepting the resignation letter, held a high-level meeting at her office Thursday.

"Received Mr Sovan Chatterjee's resignation from the post of mayor through his messenger. I have accepted it. The other formalities will be followed as per rules, after a Trinamool Congress councillors meeting convened by the party supremo Mamata Banerjee is held this evening."

Chatterjee, who was holding two important portfolios of the housing and fire service department, had resigned from the cabinet on Tuesday.

Accepting his resignation letter, Banerjee had asked him to also quit the post of mayor.

The resignation letter had been forwarded to Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, the chief minister had stated.

KMC Commissioner Khalil Ahmed was asked to look after the operations of the civic body till the new mayor was appointed.

Earlier this year, Banerjee had removed Chatterjee from the post of the Environment Minister.

The distance between Banerjee and Chatterjee, who was once considered a trusted aide of the chief minister, started growing after reports of problems in his conjugal life surfaced.

PTI