West Bengal CM Mamata removes Mukul Roy aide from district president post

Kolkata: A day before former Trinamul Congress leader Mukul Roy is expected to step down as the Rajya Sabha MP, chief minister Mamata Banerjee removed his close aide Churamoni Mahato as the party’s district president of Jhargram. 

Mr Mahato is an MLA from Jhargram. He was replaced with Trinamul leader Ajit Maity at a meeting on the party’s organisation chaired by Ms Banerjee. Mr Maity is also the party’s district president in West Midnapore, a neighbouring district of Jhargram in Jangalmahal. Earlier, the chief minister had pulled up Mr Mahato during an open administrative review meeting in Jhargram during her tour. 

As Mr Mahato stood up, Ms Banerjee angrily told him in front of all, “What is your problem? What is the problem in your department? Why dont you work efficiently? Remember, Jhargram is my priority. Every year I visit Jhargram after the Puja and twice a year because you do not work properly. I want to know what the exact problem in Jhargram is. You will have to stay united against those who try to mislead. The report about you is not good. You stay home always instead of remaining in touch with the mass.”

She added, “You will have to go out and interact with them. You were earlier a farmer. Your job was earlier to plough the land. What do you do now? Do you plough the land? If you do it, only then you will be able to connect the mass and understand their plight.”

While issuing a warning to him, Ms Banerjee had said, “You do not need to monitor the works of the block development officer. That is not your job. Your job is to listen the people’s grievances.”  Mr Mahato’s several attempts to explain Ms Banerjee his stand went in vain.