‘Wanted to leave with dignity’: Hakim on vacating mayor chair

Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Firhad Hakim formally resigned as Kolkata mayor on Friday, around six months before his term was to end, saying that “the dignity of the chair was being undermined”.

“I am emptying the chair today… I wanted to leave with dignity,” Mr. Hakim said, confirming that he had sought the permission of TMC chief Mamata Banerjee regarding his decision to quit.

Addressing a press conference, he said, “Firhad Hakim is no one. But this chair has been held by many important figures. This chair has a different kind of respect. When I was the mayor, I ruled it with pride… This is not possible anymore. I cannot disrespect the chair just to hold on to the post. I have no power left with me to function as the mayor. ”

Mr. Hakim submitted his resignation to Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) chairperson Mala Roy.

This leaves the KMC, the State’s largest civic body, without a mayor at its helm.

According to several TMC leaders, after the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government came to power in the State, the corporation has been made “defunct”.

Fully prepared

Municipal Commissioner Smita Pandey said the KMC is fully prepared to ensure seamless functioning of the civic body.

“It feels bad. He is my friend; he is like a brother. We worked together for so long,” TMC MLA Madan Mitra told reporters.

A former State Minister, Mr. Hakim served as the mayor for nearly seven and a half years since 2018.

BJP MLA Tapas Roy said Mr. Hakim should have resigned much before.

The KMC election is likely to be held in December as the five-year tenure of the last civic body comes to an end.