The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) fiasco developed into a full fledged theatre of absurd this afternoon with Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee making a surprise appearance at the city civil court in lawyer’s robes to plead for six party councillors who were arrested early this morning for allegedly assaulting Municipal Commissioner Debasis Som.While the councillors were released on bail, a late night agency report said Mamata and Mayor Subrata Mukherjee have decided to reinstate them. The two held a four hour-long meeting which also decided to empower the Mayor to take up with the state government the demand of Trinamool Congress councillors for removal of Som, Trinamool councillor Rajib Deb told reporters.Yesterday, seven Trinamool councillors — all holding municipal portfolios — had barged into Som’s room and allegedly manhandled him. While the Commissioner lodged an FIR, Mukherjee had gone ahead and dissolved the municipal board.At the court today, it was a free-for-all when the Trinamool councillors were herded before the city civil court judge through a fenced corridor that is used for production of criminals. Mamata and hundreds of party supporters began shouting at the top of their voice forcing the magistrate to leave the court room at least twice. The judge finally hurriedly granted bail to the seven councillors against a bond of Rs 2,500 each.Once released, the councillors were back at their home turf at the municipal headquarters, this time squatting outside Som’s office, singing Rabindra Sangeet (Tagore songs) and chanting slogans for his ouster. After earning party colleagues’ wrath by dissolving the board, Mayor Mukherjee went underground. Later, addressing the press, Mamata said she had approved the dissolution of the Mayor-in-Council last night. But arrest of six Trinamool councillors this morning was not acceptable, she said.When asked if the fiasco had put the party on the defensive, Mamata said: ‘‘Trouble had been brewing within on the issue of water tax, which the party decided to oppose tooth and nail. And Som only took the opportunity and played the CPI(M) card on us.’’Meanwhile, the ruling Left Front partners, particularly the CPI(M), are more than happy with the fiasco at the municipal body which had slipped out of their grip three years ago. Though Mukherjee has a fairly good working relation with both Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and Municipal Affairs Minister Ashok Bhattacharya, it is unlikely that the CPI(M) would let go of a chance to topple the civic board should there be one in the offing.
