KMC calls for House meet amid mayor step-down buzz

Kolkata: Even as a section of Trinamool Congress members want Firhad Hakim to continue as the mayor to prevent an imminent dissolution of the civic board at KMC, there’s a whiff that the party leadership might field a new face as the mayor in case Hakim insists on stepping down. Amid this uncertainty, KMC chairperson Mala Roy on Thursday announced that the KMC House will be convened on June 19. If this does materialize, it will be the first such meeting after the state assembly polls.The KMC chairperson on Thursday held marathon meetings with the mayor-in-council members and took stock of the emerging situation. Some MMiCs reportedly requested the mayor not to take any decision in haste as they will lead to greater turmoil in the KMC. According to a MMiC who has decided to stand by the mayor, if Hakim chooses to put in his papers, there will be no justification to select another face and ask him to continue as the tenure of the KMC board will expire in Dec. “Several MMiCs are ready to quit if the mayor decides to step down. We think the mayor will change his mind and refrain from resigning from his post,” said a senior MMiC.Having failed to take back ‘administrative control’ of the Trinamool Congress-run KMC board, Hakim is likely to step down this weekend. If everything works according to plan, Hakim will step down on Friday, said a source close to the mayor.According to a source, pressure was mounting on Hakim to put in his papers as he was left with a precarious position, not being able to call the shots in the civic corridors. In fact, Hakim has reportedly told Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee that he was feeling ‘suffocated’ and sought permission from her to resign.