Mamata Banerjee makes major reshuffle in TMC amid political furore over Partha Chatterjee's arrest

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also said that a reshuffle in the state cabinet was on the cards, with four to five new faces expected to get inducted into the council of ministers.

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New Delhi: Amid the ongoing political furore over the arrest of Partha Chatterjee in a school recruitment scam, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday (August 1, 2022) carried out a major organisational reshuffle in the party and inducted several new faces, including some ministers with thrust on toning up the party ahead of next year's crucial panchayat polls.

"The All India Trinamool Congress under the inspiration and guidance of Hon'ble Chairperson Smt Mamata Banerjee is pleased to announce a few new appointments of District Chairman & District President for West Bengal Trinamool Congress," the party said in a statement.

Asima Patra, the minister of state with independent charge of the department of planning, statistics and programme monitoring, and Saumen Mahapatra, the state irrigation and waterways minister, have been assigned organisational responsibilities in their respective districts.

The All India Trinamool Congress under the inspiration and guidance of Hon’ble Chairperson Smt. @MamataOfficial is pleased to announce a few new appointments of District Chairman & District President for West Bengal Trinamool Congress. pic.twitter.com/FhpPUflCY3 — All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) August 1, 2022

TMC MLAs Tapas Ray and Partha Bhowmick were on the other hand relieved of their responsibilities as presidents of the party's north Kolkata and Dum Dum- Barrackpore zones amid reports that they could find a place in the state ministry, news agency PTI reported citing party sources.

The presidents of several organisational districts, including Coochbehar, Dakshin Dinajpur, Nadia South (Ranaghat), Hooghly-Sreerampore, Jhargram and Bongaon were changed, while several others such as Kolkata North, Bankura, Uttar Dinajpur, Tamluk and Bongaon are likely to have new heads.

Mamata Banerjee says cabinet reshuffle on cards, 4-5 new faces likely to get inducted

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday rubbished media reports about the possible dissolution of the state cabinet and said that a reshuffle was on the cards, with four to five new faces expected to get inducted into the council of ministers.

Banerjee also said that several departments were currently functioning without any dedicated minister, and it wasn't possible for her to shoulder responsibilities of these alone.

"We have to reshuffle our Cabinet. But (I) do not have any plan to dissolve the Cabinet and come up with a new one. There are several departments that have no one at the helm. I alone cannot shoulder (the) responsibilities of all these departments," Banerjee told reporters.

"We will introduce four to five new faces in the Cabinet. The reshuffle will be carried out on Wednesday," the TMC supremo added.

Departments of Home & Hill Affairs, Health and Family Welfare, and Land & Land Reforms are currently looked after by Banerjee.

After Partha Chatterjee was relieved of his ministerial duties, following his recent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the school job scam, portfolios held by him - industries and parliamentary affairs - were also taken over by the TMC boss.

West Bengal to carve out seven new districts

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday also said that West Bengal is set to get seven new districts with the cabinet giving its nod to the proposal. The new districts -- Berhampore, Kandi, Sunderbans, Bashirhat, Ichamati, Ranaghat and Bishnupur -- will take the total number to 30.

Hon'ble Chief Minister @MamataOfficial announces the creation of 7 new districts in Bengal for greater administrative efficiency.

The 7 new districts include - Sundarban, Ichamati, Ranaghat, Bishnupur, Jangipur, Berhampore and one more in Basirhat, to be announced soon. pic.twitter.com/1f9nqvIejr — All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) August 1, 2022

"The decision was taken to ensure smooth administrative operations," a senior official of the state government said.

(With agency inputs)