Oppn demands KMC Mayor's scalp, disrupts session

Opposition CPI(M), Congress and BJP councillors today disrupted the interim budget session of Kolkata Municipal Corporation demanding Mayor Sovan Chatterjee should immediately resign in the wake of sting operation purportedly showing some TMC leaders accepting money to help a fictitious private firm.
As the KMC Chairman Mala Roy refused to accept the opposition demand that the sting video issue be immediately taken up for discussion and the Mayor be stopped to submit the income and expenditure estimates, all the opposition councillors went outside the hall and assembled before Chatterjee's official chamber.
As Chatterjee formally tabled the interim budget estimates for first two quarters in five minutes without completing his speech, and headed toward his office room, a jostling ensued even as the Mayor could enter his chamber.

In the melee, two CPI(M) councillors Mrityunjoy Chakroborty and Rinku Naskar, later alleged of being manhandled by TMC councillors though they levelled counter charges of being beaten up by some of the opposition members.
The opposition Congress also threw currency-size paper chits in the air during the agitation.
Chairman Mala Roy listened to both sides later and asked them to submit their views in writing to look into the allegations of manhandling and improper behaviour.

As the Mayor left the KMC building amid slogan shouting by the opposition, he told reporters to a question, "I won't comment."
"But I can only quote Newton's third law which says - every action can have its equal and opposite reaction," Chatterjee added without elaborating.

The opposition councillors also demanded CCTV be installed at Mayor's chamber.
TMC councillors accused the opposition of resorting to dirty politics and slander campaign to get publicity.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday said, "Our party will win the assembly election despite any conspiracy hatched against us. They are bringing black money. We are not scared. Given a chance we will give a fitting reply. We are working with honesty."
Her statement came a day after the telecast of a sting video on Monday last by a web portal purportedly showing several TMC leaders accepting money to help a fictitious private firm.