Mamata Reinstates Sacked Minister

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday reshuffled her Cabinet and reinstated a minister she had earlier sacked following the victory of BJP MP Babul Supriyo in Asansol constituency. This is the second Cabinet reshuffle this year.

The new cabinet ministers were sworn in by Governor M K Narayanan. The event was Narayanan’s last public function as Governor of the state as he has tendered his resignation and will leave the city on Friday.

Former agriculture minister Moloy Ghatak, who after the Lok Sabha polls resigned on May 20, following Mamata’s direction, was on Wednesday reinducted into the state cabinet as labour minister. Ghatak was accused of sabotaging the party’s prospects which resulted in the BJP’s victory in Asansol constituency where Mamata’s close confidante Dola Sen contested unsuccessfully against BJP’s Babul Supriyo.

Taking the defeat personally, Mamata sacked Ghatak, which led to dissension within the TMC  ranks in Bardhaman district, as he had been a veteran leader in the party. However, reports of the Lok Sabha polls and analysis of the results have it that it was the Modi wave in the constituency after Narendra Modi’s election campaign meeting at Asansol and the unpopularity of Dola, who had

alienated the party workers, including workers in the industrial belt of Asansol, that led to the defeat.

Ghatak has now been entrusted with the labour ministry and it is to be seen how he deals with Dola. Former labour minister Purnendu Bose has been shifted to the agriculture department.

Medinipur district legislator Jyotirmoy Kar has been appointed minister for cooperation.