00:00MLAs, MPs and now Kolkata Mayor has decided to resign.
00:05What is happening with regard to the Trinamool Congress?
00:07And this is the senior leader of the party.
00:09Firad Hakim resigns as Kolkata Mayor and has decided to now step down.
00:15Remember already 60 MLAs say that Mahmata Banerjee is not exactly their leader right now
00:21when Ritabrad Banerjee, the one who was expelled from the party,
00:25was then made the leader of opposition in the assembly.
00:29Sources are telling us 23 TMC MPs are in talks with the rebel faction.
00:33I want to immediately bring in our Bengal editor Indrajit Kundu for the latest on that.
00:38Indrajit Firad Hakim is as popular a name for the TMC as anybody else of that position.
00:44And he has decided to quit as Kolkata Mayor.
00:46It's a prestigious position. Why has he done it?
00:53Well, Puja, it was on the cards.
00:55It does not come in as a surprise though
00:57because just two days back he had sought permission from party supremo Mahmata Banerjee to resign
01:05and he has tendered his resignation formally today.
01:08When we did ask him that why did he choose to resign,
01:12because he could have continued till December,
01:14he has his tenure,
01:15he said that it wasn't possible for him to perform his duties
01:19given the political scenario and the regime change that has taken place in West Bengal.
01:23Also, in that scenario, he chose to resign
01:26because he was not being able to deliver his functions as the mayor.
01:30So, it does not come in as a surprise,
01:32but of course, it will be seen as a big jolt to the Thronomal Congress
01:36at a time when MLAs from the Thronomal Congress,
01:39two-thirds of them have already formed a rebel faction
01:43and we are learning from that faction sources
01:46that there are MPs now who are also in touch
01:49and might jump ship as early as next week.
01:53Yesterday, we spoke to veteran Thronomal Congress MP from Rajya Sabha,
01:56Shukendu Shekar Roy.
01:57He confirmed that he said a majority of MPs of the Thronomal Congress
02:01may jump ship very soon.
02:04So, it's all imploding, it seems.
02:06And Farah Dakeem...
02:06What do you think is happening?
02:08Because I want to understand...
02:09Yes, you said it right.
02:11Farah Dakeem, in fact, is seen close to Mamata Banerjee.
02:14And when MLAs are shifting base, MPs are shifting base,
02:18Kolkata mayor is stepping down,
02:20what do you hear?
02:21How is Abhishek Banerjee and Mamata Banerjee,
02:23how are they trying to firefight it?
02:24And do you see a new leader coming in for the TMC?
02:28Because it's not that they are defecting to another party
02:30or forming a new party, it's still the TMC.
02:32So, are we looking at some new Neta
02:35who's coming against Mamata Banerjee?
02:41Well, there are no talks about leadership change.
02:44The Thronomal Congress top brass remains in a huddle
02:47for the past several days now.
02:48Once again, Mamata Banerjee has called for a meeting
02:51at her residence this evening at around 5 o'clock in the evening
02:54is when senior TMC leaders...
02:56It would be interesting to see if Farah Dakeem...
02:58Behind me is the Kolkata Corporation, the red building.
03:00You know, he's just entered his resignation.
03:02Will he arrive at Mamata Banerjee's residence for the meeting?
03:06We don't know.
03:07There is a lot of buzz about what is going to be his next political move.
03:12Will he be one of those key top aides of Mamata Banerjee?
03:16He will also sign, you know, with the rebel camp.
03:20Because remember, just two days back, there was a meeting.
03:23In fact, yesterday, there was a meeting, administrative meeting
03:26that took place at the state secretariat
03:29where MLAs of Kolkata, South 24 Pergona and Hawra were called.
03:34And Thronomal Congress and MLAs, including the Din Mayor, Farah Dakeem,
03:39did attend that meeting that was chaired by Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikaran.
03:43So, it is unclear as to what is going to be the next political move of Farah Dakeem.
03:47But no doubt about it, the fact that he has now quit as mayor,
03:52one can only expect that the floodgates will now open.
03:55Fascinating.
03:55Because Indrajit, what you're telling us, MLAs, MPs and now a Kolkata mayor
04:02who's been seen close to Mamata Banerjee,
04:04there must be some plan that she has decided to at least initiate
04:08because this must be as clear as a day right for now for Mamata Banerjee.
04:13In opposition, barely days since the result.
04:16And the party already seems to be facing a split.
04:18Indrajit Kundu has all the latest on that.
04:21Indrajit, appreciate you joining us.
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