Firhad Hakim and Chandrima Bhattacharya have emerged as chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s most trusted lieutenants after reallocation of portfolios were approved by the governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday afternoon.
Ahead of the March 11 budget presentation for the state, Mamata has relieved herself of the key portfolio of finance—handled by economist Amit Mitra till last November—and given it to Chandrima Bhattacharya, minister-of-state for finance (with independent charge).
In all likelihood, the Bengal budget for the 2022-23 fiscal will be presented by Chandrima, a commerce graduate and lawyer with Calcutta High Court.
With the finance portfolio falling into Chandrima’s hands, Mamata has brought back Firhad Hakim, the mayor of Calcutta, as the urban development minister. Hakim, who held the urban development portfolio in the previous two terms, was already the transport minister in Mamata’s third term.
Hakim, known as Bobby in the political circles, had his fortunes swinging for the better after Mamata handpicked him to lead the Trinamul in the Calcutta Municipal Corporation polls to continue as the mayor of Calcutta.
Hakim now is de facto the most important political and governing functionary of the city as he is the mayor and holds the portfolios of transport, housing, urban development, all key to the development of the city. The additional municipal affairs portfolio gives him a say in the running of the 112 other urban local bodies in the state, most of which are run by Trinamul after its landslide victory in the recently concluded polls.
According to Trinamul sources, Chandrima is close to both Mamata and the Trinamul’s organisational number two Abhishek Banerjee.
“In the recent reshuffle of the organisation, Bobby da was made the coordinator between the party and Mamata di. He is the one person who has her ears. In the last four months his has been a spectacular rise,” said a Trinamul leader.
The ministry formed last June after the Assembly poll, Trinamul sources said, had considerable influence of the Abhishek-Prashant Kishore combine. Abhishek was unhappy with tainted party members being fielded and being offered key ministries. Two of Mamata’s most trusted aides, Bobby and Aroop Biswas, were shunted from their departments of choice and relegated to a secondary position.
The buzz in the Trinamul was that most of the ministers and bureaucrats were acting on the instructions of Abhishek, operating from his office at Santiniketan building. “After the party, Mamata di is now taking back her grip on the government,” said a senior Trinamul leader.
Withmamata firmly in the sdaddle, Hakim could have smooth run till the remainder of the state goivernment's term till 2026, provided the BJP does badly in the recently-held state polls including Uttar Pradesh, the results for which would be declared on March 10.
Hakim who was earlier arrested for his role in the Narada sting operation could again face the heat of an emboldened BJP if it makes an emphatic performance in the five states, or even if it wins Uttar Pradesh by a huge mandate. Though the Bengal BJP appears to be in a disarray at the moment with a string of losses and internal squabbles, the ripple effect of the party doing well in other states could galvanise the Bengal unit before next year’s panchayat and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
