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Kolkata, Nov 3 (IANS) Former Kolkata mayor and former West Bengal minister Sovan Chattopadhyay on Monday officially joined the Trinamool Congress along with his colleague Baisakhi Bandopadhyay.
Both were officially taken back into the party at the Trinamool Congress’ state headquarters, Trinamool Bhawan, on Monday afternoon by West Bengal party state president Subrata Bakshi and state power minister Arup Biswas.
Chattopadhyay resigned from both the posts of Mayor of Kolkata and Minister of West Bengal in 2018. After being inactive in politics for quite some time, he joined the BJP along with his partner just ahead of the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections.
However, his differences with the BJP began just days after joining the party, as the saffron leadership did not nominate him as the party candidate from Behala (East) constituency in South 24 Parganas district, from where he had been MLA for two consecutive terms.
After this, both Chattopadhyay and his girlfriend quietly distanced themselves from BJP. After this, speculations about his return to Trinamool Congress started appearing again and again. All speculations finally came to an end on Monday with Chattopadhyay officially joining the state’s ruling party along with his girlfriend.
Responding to the joining back programme, Chattopadhyay told media persons that it feels as if I have returned home.
He said, “Trinamool Congress means everything to me. This party is my home. This party is my life. My job will be to work for the party and strengthen it further.”
Commenting on the matter, current Trinamool Congress MLA from Behala (East) constituency, Ratna Chattopadhyay, who is Sovan Chattopadhyay’s estranged wife, said she was happy that after being inactive for a long time, he is back in full political activities again.
Speculations have now emerged that Chattopadhyay may be fielded as the party’s candidate from his old constituency Behala (East) in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election, and in that case, Ratna Chattopadhyay will have to give up her claim on that seat.
Responding to this speculation, he said that if the party leadership takes a decision then he will have to accept that decision.
He said, “The final decision in this matter will be taken by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and our party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. If they decide that Sovan Chattopadhyay will contest from Behala (East) again, I will have to accept it.”
However, he refused to comment on Baisakhi Bandopadhyay also joining the party. Ratna Chattopadhyay said, “I don’t want to make any comment on that woman. It would be below my dignity.”
Sovan Chattopadhyay and Ratna Chattopadhyay are currently going through separation and a divorce case in this matter is currently pending in the city court.
–IANS
Source/Red