Whom to field for mayor’s seat? Cong-Trinamool,ruling CPM on toes

“I am yet to tell my party formally about my decision. I cannot discuss the reasons with you,” said Bhattacharjee,when asked about the issue.

CPM sources said that Bhattacharjee had disclosed his decision informally in close quarters and even told senior leaders about it. Following this,the CPM is yet to decide on another candidate who will be projected as the probable mayor.

According to sources,Bhattacharjee,who was the former advocate general of Tripura,has informed his party colleagues that he wants to return to his legal career,which “has suffered a lot” during his tenure as mayor. Sources also said that with the growing popularity of the Congress-Trinamool alliance,which has a huge edge in the upcoming polls,Bhattacharjee does not want to take the blame for any probable defeat. CPM top bosses,meanwhile,want a mayor who is also a Kolkata district committee leader and can command local party leaders.

The Trinamool,meanwhile,is planning to pitch in its own candidate as the mayor this time,despite Subrata Mukherjee’s attempt to woo Mamata Banerjee. “We are yet to decide on the mayoral candidate. There are various good leaders and discussions are on in the party,” said Subrata Bakshi,state president of the Trinamool. “We are yet to sit with the Congress and decide on seat sharing in the upcoming municipal polls,” he added.

According to Trinamool sources,Sudip Bandopadhyay’s name is doing the rounds as Mayor. The chief whip in Lok Sabha,this Kolkata-based politician is best suited for the post and is said to be in the good books of Mamata Banerjee. Names of Partho Chatterjee,Leader of the Opposition in state Assembly and Javed Khan,Leader of Opposition in KMC,have also been recommended by some leaders.

Congress sources,meanwhile,said that the party is well aware that Banerjee will take an upper on the issue. “It will be difficult to convince Banerjee to accept a mayor from the Congress party. There are already problems in seat sharing and talks are yet to begin,” said a senior Congress leader.