Despite the Trinamool Congress winning 29 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee today voiced her anger at her party leaders, bureaucrats and the police for corruption and inefficiency which had led to her government getting a “bad name” and helped her arch-rivals, the Bharatiya Janata Party gain significant leads from at least 70 out of 125 civic areas in the state. Even in Calcutta — which is considered a Trinamool Congress bastion — the BJP got a lead in 45 wards out of 144 civic wards, resulting in embarrassment for the ruling dispensation.
In what appeared to be a stock-taking exercise with an eye on the 2026 Assembly elections, a stern Chief Minister started off by saying: “Today is my turn to speak and yours is to listen. If people do not get service, why do we need panchayats and municipalities? All that the civic bodies do is increase taxes without even consulting us.”
The Chief Minister was addressing a meeting with all her Ministers, the chiefs of 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations to take some corrective measures in running the civic bodies, against the backdrop of her party’s underperformance in urban and semi-urban pockets in the Lok Sabha elections.
A senior Trinamool leader said the Chief Minister was annoyed with the lacklustre show in the urban areas, and believed that poor services and the lackadaisical attitude of those running the civic bodies were among the reasons behind people turning away from the Trinamool Congress.
“The Government will not take the bad name for the actions of some individuals,” Mamata said at a meeting held in the State secretariat Nabanna. “Taka tolaar master chaichhi na. Janasebak chaichhi. Agami din tarai ticket pabe [I don’t want master extortionists. I want people’s servants. In the coming days only such people will get tickets].”
Representatives from two of the civic bodies run by the CPM and the Congress – Nadia’s Taherpur and Purulia’s Jhalda – were not invited to Monday’s meeting.
Mamata seemed to have identified the local representatives – the MLAs, the councillors, panchayat members and a section of the bureaucrats and the police – as factors behind the Trinamool Congress’ apparent poor showing in urban areas.
“People go to the civic bodies for services. Most panchayats and municipalities are not working for the people. Encroachments are being encouraged, illegal buildings allowed. No action is being taken,” Mamata said on Monday, holding a bunch of papers in her hand, which she referred to at repeated intervals.
Mamata said that her Government since 2011 had released Rs. 51,500 crore for urban development. “Garbage vats are overflowing, illegal parking is rampant, no proper roads in the added areas [under Kolkata Municipal Corporation). From now on truant officials will be served with show-cause notices,” she said.
Mamata took the names of the State Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose, accusing him of encouraging encroachment in Rajarhat, and Amrita Roy Burman, a sub-divisional officer whom she accused of neglecting Bally municipality, which is without a civic board.
The Chief Minister said multiple interest groups have cropped up in every part of the State.
The Chief Minister did not appear happy with her party and accused the local MLAs belonging to her own party of taking advantage of the weakness in the system.
“In those municipalities where the boards have not been elected, the MLAs are doing as they please and taking advantage [read making money]. I will clean up the entire system and then go for fresh elections. If need be, the clean-up should start from my home,” Mamata said.
“Rathin [Chakraborty, the BJP Lok Sabha nominee from Howrah who was a mayor when he was with the Trinamool] ruined Howrah when he was Mayor. Illegal buildings have come up near Nabanna. The police and everyone else involved has turned a blind eye. Do I have to look after everything?” Mamata fumed.
The Chief Minister said she was aware some of her party members and a section of the bureaucracy and police were involved in raising illegal money. She also alleged that some leaders of her party and some bureaucrats were also sharing their ill-gotten gains with the BJP.
“I had made the city so beautiful. A new officer-in-charge [of a police station] comes and brings new illegal settlers. Some have joined the service to make money,” Mamata said.
Mamata said from Monday onwards, the civic bodies would not be entitled to call for tenders. A committee comprising the Chief Secretary, the Home Secretary and Secretaries of the Finance, Land and Irrigation Departments along with the Commissioners of Police and an officer of the rank of Additional Director-General of Police will monitor the tender process.
The Chief Minister said that from now on the performance of the civic body officials would be reviewed by a team including officials from the Vigilance Department, the Additional Director-General of Police (Law & Order), an Additional Commissioner of Police, officers from the CID and the Director of Security.
Samik Bhattacharya, the BJP’s chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP said: “This is nothing but a drama by the Chief Minister now that the writing is on the wall. Despite all the vote-loot across Bengal which helped the Trinamool get 29 seats, she knows that the people of the State are not with her. Alleging that officials are sharing their looted money with the BJP will not help her party’s prospects. People have realised what is happening in the State of West Bengal.