Oppn demands explanation from Mamata on minister's resignation

Opposition parties in West Bengal on Tuesday demanded that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee clarify the circumstances that led to the resignation of state minister Sovan Chatterjee.

Banerjee, while talking to reporters earlier in the day, said Fire Services and Housing Minister Sovan Chatterjee has quit the cabinet.

The CM also said that Chatterjee has been asked to step down from the post of Kolkata mayor.

According to TMC sources, he is likely to tender his resignation from mayor's post soon.

Leader of opposition Abdul Mannan said the chief minister should issue a statement to clarify the reasons behind Chatterjee's decision.

"The chief minister should immediately explain the reason and circumstances under which Chatterjee resigned. The Assembly is in session and, according to rule, when a minister tenders resignation, the chief minister should issue a statement," the senior Congress leader said.

State BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said the senior TMC leader should have resigned long ago.

"Chatterjee, for the past one year, has failed to perform his duties properly as he was engulfed in several controversies. The chief minister should have asked for his resignation long ago," he maintained.

The CPI(M) leadership, too, issued a statement seeking an explanation from the chief minister for Chatterjee's resignation.

"We are yet to know what prompted Chatterjee to quit from the ministry. The CM should furnish the details at the earliest," CPI(M) MLA Tanmay Bhattacharya said.