After 33 years, Aveek Sarkar steps down as ABP group editor

Arup Sarkar, insiders said, has been the “quiet, backroom” brother while Aveek Sarkar was the flamboyant public face of the group. Aveek Sarkar assumed the post of Editor of the Ananda Bazar Patrika in 1983 after his father Ashok Sarkar passed away at a debate at the Kolkata Book fair in February that year.

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In a significant break from tradition, Ananda Bazar Patrika got a new Editor in Anirban Chattopadhyay — from outside the family — who has been a popular columnist of the paper.

The post of the Editor had always been held by Sarkar family members with one exception earlier, in Chapala Kanta Bhattacharya, said insiders.

R Rajagopal, who has been associated with The Telegraph for long and heads news operations, was designated Editor. The change comes after the ABP Group was criticised by Mamata Banerjee and her party for what they called its pronounced “pro-Congress-CPM alliance stand.”

In fact, this was the first time in a state election where in several election rallies, the Chief Minister alleged that a media group had “conspired” against her party. She even referred to Aveek Sarkar as “Avheebhavak Babu” – and said West Bengal did not need any such “Aveebhabak” – Bengali for “guardian”.

At a rally in Durgapur, she named Aveek Sarkar and alleged that he had gone to Delhi to meet BJP, CPM and Congress leaders as part of his plan to destabilise her government. In the 2011 polls, however, the ABP Group and the Trinamool Congress were evidently on much better terms.