The Times of India 11.06.2010
Two mayors too many at KMC
KOLKATA: Municipal commissioner Arnab Roy never had it this bad. Left to choose between the rule book and courtesy, Roy stuck to the former, and ignored mayor designate Sovan Chatterjee’s call for a meeting at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation headquarters on Thursday.
That was only the beginning of a drama that would be almost farcical were it not for the tense political atmosphere in Bengal. Chatterjee was the one who ended up feeling left out of the opera. He spent 45 minutes sitting alone in a corner of the KMC conference room as Roy and other civic officials disregarded his summons.
Outgoing mayor Bikash Bhattacharya spiced up the drama with a guest appearance, as if to make it clear he is still the boss (he has announced he will step down on Saturday).
The show began at 1.45pm when the mayor-designate parked his Pajero in the space earmarked for the mayor, and tiptoed into the conference room to “oversee preparedness before the monsoon”. On Tuesday, he had made a similar surprise appearance and Roy had responded out of courtesy.
Like the other day, Chatterjee summoned him for a meeting. Roy didn’t turn up. He was closeted with some senior officials. After waiting for 15 minutes, Chatterjee sent councillors Firhad Hakim and Atin Ghosh to Roy’s office. Roy warmly welcomed them. They had spoken for barely 10 minutes when the phone rang. It was mayor Bikash Bhattacharya, asking Roy to come to his chamber. Bhattacharya had timed it well. He had come straight from the high court and taken his seat minutes after Chatterjee stepped in.
There was more humiliation in store for Chatterjee. Security personnel requested him to shift his Pajero from the mayor’s parking space.
That was only the beginning of a drama that would be almost farcical were it not for the tense political atmosphere in Bengal. Chatterjee was the one who ended up feeling left out of the opera. He spent 45 minutes sitting alone in a corner of the KMC conference room as Roy and other civic officials disregarded his summons.
Outgoing mayor Bikash Bhattacharya spiced up the drama with a guest appearance, as if to make it clear he is still the boss (he has announced he will step down on Saturday).
The show began at 1.45pm when the mayor-designate parked his Pajero in the space earmarked for the mayor, and tiptoed into the conference room to “oversee preparedness before the monsoon”. On Tuesday, he had made a similar surprise appearance and Roy had responded out of courtesy.
Like the other day, Chatterjee summoned him for a meeting. Roy didn’t turn up. He was closeted with some senior officials. After waiting for 15 minutes, Chatterjee sent councillors Firhad Hakim and Atin Ghosh to Roy’s office. Roy warmly welcomed them. They had spoken for barely 10 minutes when the phone rang. It was mayor Bikash Bhattacharya, asking Roy to come to his chamber. Bhattacharya had timed it well. He had come straight from the high court and taken his seat minutes after Chatterjee stepped in.
There was more humiliation in store for Chatterjee. Security personnel requested him to shift his Pajero from the mayor’s parking space.
