Cyclone Amphan has so far left 86 dead in the state. (File)
Kolkata:
Trinamool congressional leadership warned party leader and minister Sadhan Pande and asked him not to publicly voice opinions against the party, days after accusing the TMC-run Kolkata Municipal Corporation of “lack planning “in the fight against Cyclone Amphan.
The internal struggles within the TMC over the response to the unleashed cyclone were unveiled Tuesday after Mr. Pande attacked KMC for not having effectively managed the crisis.
According to TMC sources on Thursday, Mr. Pande’s comments were not welcomed by senior party officials, who have decided to warn him for the time being.
“He was warned and said not to voice his opinions publicly. If he has anything to say, he can say it within the party. Our state government is grappling with a double COVID crisis and Cyclone Amphan is not a good time to fight between us, “said a senior TMC official.
Mr. Pande was not available to comment.
Meanwhile, Mr. Pande’s pet peeve in the party – TMC MLA Paresh Pal – has declared that he will hold a protest march against him (Pande) once the lockdown is completed.
The internal fights within the Congress of Trinamool surfaced in the middle of sporadic protests against the requests for restoration of the supply of electricity and water in several regions affected by a cyclone of West Bengal.
Cyclone Amphan has so far left 86 dead in the state.
In an interview with reporters earlier this week, state consumer affairs minister Pande said the crisis could have been better handled.
“If there had been good planning, the cyclone crisis could have been avoided in a much better way. There was no good planning. None of us were consulted on how this crisis could be better managed, “said Mr. Pande.
“Anyone who does not succeed must resign from his post. The president of the KMC has not called a meeting of the city’s deputies. Firhad Hakim should have consulted his predecessor Sovan Chatterjee,” he said.
Firhad Hakim, a senior TMC official and chairman of the board of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, immediately responded by saying that instead of criticizing the KMC, Pande should have come up with an alternative plan.
“Why is he criticizing now? What has he been doing since last week? He should have come to KMC with an alternative plan. All of our officials and staff are busy in restoration work because we think it is easier to criticize than to work, “he said.
Mr. Hakim was appointed chairman of the board on May 7.
