For which Mamta had clashed with Modi, that IAS officer left the chair after seeing TMC’s defeat

It seems as if there is an earthquake in the politics of West Bengal at this time. On one hand, the outgoing Chief Minister of the state, Mamata Banerjee is not ready to accept the crushing defeat in the assembly elections and is accusing the Election Commission of rigging everything from EVMs, while on the other hand, her ‘core team’ has started leaving her. On Tuesday, as soon as the picture of Trinamool Congress (TMC)’s defeat became clear, Mamata’s most trusted bureaucrats and advisors resigned from their posts.

The surprising thing is that those who resigned include those faces for whom Mamata Banerjee had taken a direct stand from the Central Government and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. In this, the name of former Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay is at the top. Along with him, HK Dwivedi, Manoj Pant and well-known economist Abhirup Sarkar have also sent their resignations to their respective departments. In fact, all these appointments were made directly on the instructions of Mamata Banerjee, and now in the changed political circumstances, she has considered it ‘immoral’ to continue in the post.

Who is Alapan Bandyopadhyay and why did the rift happen in Delhi-Kolkata?

Alapan Bandyopadhyay’s name is included among those officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) who were in the news more for the conflict between the Center and the State than for their ability. People still remember that incident of the year 2021, when Prime Minister Modi had called a review meeting in Bengal after Cyclone ‘Yas’. When Mamata Banerjee and Alapan Bandyopadhyay were not present in that meeting, the Center took a strict stance and ordered Alapan to report to Delhi immediately.

Then Mamata Banerjee had flatly refused to relieve him of his duty due to his stubbornness and her confidence in his speech. The matter escalated so much that Mamta wrote a letter to the PM requesting him to withdraw the order. Later, instead of going to Delhi, Alapan took premature retirement and Mamata immediately made him her chief advisor. It is being told that now the same Alapan Bandyopadhyay has submitted his resignation to the Chief Secretary the very next day of the defeat.

Economists and journalists also left Mamata’s ‘boat’

Not only the bureaucrats, but also the experts holding lucrative positions in the Mamata government are now keeping distance. Economist Abhirup Sarkar, who was the chairman of the State Infrastructure and Small Industries Development Corporations (WBIDC & WBSIDC), clearly stated that since these were ‘political appointments’ and Mamata has lost the elections, she has no moral right to hold the post.

Same is the situation with the Information and Cultural Department. The media advisor posted there, who had previously been a journalist, also left his post on Tuesday itself. Apart from this, state Advocate General Kishore Dutta has also sent his resignation to Governor RN Ravi. There is talk in the corridors of the Secretariat that in the coming few days, many more big names may emerge who are preparing to get off the sinking ship of TMC.

Election results changed the geography of Bengal

This change in Bengal politics is the result of the landslide victory that BJP has achieved. By capturing 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, BJP has demolished Mamata Banerjee’s ten-year fort. TMC is reduced to just 80 seats.

However, Mamata Banerjee has still not given up. He has refused to step down from the post of Chief Minister and claims that central forces and the Election Commission have conspired against him. But the disintegration of his administrative clan makes it clear that the key to power is now out of his hands. In fact, these resignations have weakened Mamata Banerjee administratively and morally. According to local experts, this is the beginning of a new era in Bengal where the pillars of the old system are falling one by one.