In first reshuffle,Mamata targets Congress ministers

Mamata has stripped Congress ministers Manoj Chakraborty,Abu Hena

Despite attempts by the Congress high command to save its alliance with the Trinamool,Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seems to be in no mood for reconciliation. On Monday,she clipped the wings of two Congress ministers as she expanded her Cabinet for the first time since coming to power and reshuffled the portfolios.

After hours of chaos and confusion,the changes in the portfolios were announced late on Monday night. Mamata has stripped Congress minister Manoj Chakraborty of his parliamentary affairs portfolio and given it to two Trinamool ministers,one of whom was inducted on Monday. Chakraborty also lost the portfolio of SMEs and has to be now content with the status of Minister of State for food processing.

The other Congress minister,Abu Hena,has been stripped of food processing portfolio,and has been given fisheries. Incidentally,both Chakraborty and Hena hail from Murshidabad district,considered a stronghold of Congress leader and Mamata bete noire,Adhir Chowdhury.

Last week,Chakraborty had accused Mamata of not performing the raj dharma and criticised the government of losing credibility for adopting different yardsticks when it came to two incidents where college principals were beaten up by students. On Monday,Chakraborty reportedly had another round of spat with Mamata over the phone.

Said Adhir Chowdhury: It is the vindictive politics of Mamata Banerjee. She cannot stand criticism. Both Congress ministers had spoken out against the government.

Among the two new Trinamool ministers inducted on Monday are Arup Biswas and Chandrima Bhattacharjee. While Arup has been made MoS with independent charge of housing,parliamentary affairs and youth welfare,Chandrima is MoS for health.

Ujjal Biswas,who earlier held charge of youth welfare,has been made Minister with Independent Charge for food processing. Sports Minister Madan Mitra has been elevated and made Minister in Charge of sports and transport. Environment minister Sudarshan Ghosh Dastidar has been given the additional charge of PWD.

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A day after Congress minister Abu Naser Khan Chowdhury,who hails from influential Gani Khan family,reportedly expressed his desire to join the Trinamool,he was rewarded with additional charge of food processing along with his science and technology portfolio.