Firhad “Bobby” Hakim, one of Mamata Banerjee’s closest aides and the tallest Muslim leader in her party, met leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee at his chamber on Monday, triggering claims of a further breach in 30B Harish Chatterjee Street’s inner sanctum.
The Kolkata Port MLA, who recently resigned as the city’s mayor with Mamata’s consent, was huddled for 70 minutes with Ritabrata after being chaperoned to the meeting by rebel lawmaker Sandipan Saha. Sources in Ritabrata’s faction soon claimed he had switched sides.
“I had been telling you for days, didn’t I, that we have him? A formal declaration is only a matter of time,” a key figure in the rebel high command told this newspaper.
“Walking in for that meeting, he knew there was no possibility of any other message going out.”
Sources close to Hakim, however, claimed he had met Ritabrata “mainly to chat”. Hakim’s only comment was: “No comment.”
The former urban development minister would be a prize catch for the rebels. Hakim happens to be one of the members of Mamata’s “old guard” that her nephew Abhishek Banerjee — the rebels’ principal bete noire — has sidelined in his bid to gain total control of the party.
“Don’t for a moment forget how much he (Hakim) dislikes Abhishek for the harassment caused to him in recent years,” the rebel leader said.
“Besides, as a senior Muslim lawmaker with some remaining political stake and vast business interests that directly involve the well-being of his family, he needs protection in BJP-ruled Bengal.”
A source close to Hakim, however, said: “Just as he has talked to Ritabrata, he has also had a discussion with Kunal Ghosh (Beleghata MLA and Mamata loyalist). He told everyone to stay together in these difficult times.”
He added: “In such an unprecedented crisis, maintaining party unity is imperative, and he (Hakim) discussed this with Ritabrata and Kunal.”
According to the rebels, Hakim and five others are set to join them, taking their number to 66 out of the 80 MLAs that Mamata had on May 4. Currently, the breakaway group claims 60 members, with two MLAs signing up after the letter from the 58 initial rebels was handed to the Speaker.
“More MLAs will switch over,” a triumphant Ritabrata, the Uluberia Purba MLA, said. “The desire (to cross over) is infectious.”