Kolkata: Trinamool Congress sitting MLA of Bhabanipur constituency Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay on Friday submitted his resignation from the post to West Bengal Assembly speaker Biman Bandhopadhyay.
Talking to Free Press Journal, the veteran politician said that he had vacated the seat so that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee can contest the bypoll from her home citadel.
“West Bengal needs a chief minister like Mamata Banerjee. So this Bhabanipur constituency is the safest seat. I had a word with her and we have discussed several points. If I am asked to resign from the ministry then I am ready to do so,” said Sobhandeb.
Notably, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee despite taking the lead against BJP's Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram constituency had lost by 1953 votes.
Meanwhile, according to Trinamool Congress sources, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay is likely to contest from Khardah constituency.
“TMC's Kajal Sinha had succumbed to Covid for which initially it was planned that West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra was supposed to contest from Kharda but due to health issues Sobhandeb is likely to contest from that constituency,” confirmed the TMC sources also adding that there is also a possibility that the veteran politician can be sent to Rajya Sabha.
It is pertinent to mention that Bhabanipur constituency is the home citadel of the TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee. In the last two assembly elections in 2011 and 2016 Mamata had contested and won from the Bhabanipur constituency.
According to Trinamool Congress sources, the TMC supremo herself had shown her willingness to contest from this constituency. Mamata Banerjee despite losing the Nandigram seat to BJP's Suvendu Adhikari is continuing as the Chief Minister of West Bengal, but according to the rule she will have to become an MLA within six months after the formation of the government.