Speculations rife over former Mayor's return to Trinamool Congress

Kolkata, June 22 Speculations over former Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Mayor Sovan Chatterjee's return to Trinamool Congress gained momentum on Wednesday after he, accompanied by his girlfriend Baisakhi Bandopadhyay, held an hour-long meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat Nabanna.

Although neither Chatterjee nor Bandopadhyay gave any direct reply to questions regarding the former Mayor's possible return to Trinamool, both said that whatever might happen will be as per the instructions of the Chief Minister, whom both of them addressed as 'Mamata didi'.

However, Trinamool insiders said that in all probability, Chatterjee's return might be officially announced on July 21, when the party will hold its annual 'Martyrs' Day' programme.

The gap between Chatterjee and Trinamool started widening ever since the former Mayor filed a divorce suit against his wife and Trinamool legislator Ratna Chatterjee, who is known to be close to the Chief Minister. Chatterjee's closeness to Bandopadhyay had also resulted in mud-slinging at the personal level at that point of time.

In 2019, both Chatterjee and Bandopadhyay had joined the BJP. Before the 2021 Assembly polls, Chatterjee was made BJP's observer for Kolkata while Bandopadhyay was made the party's additional observer.

However, soon differences between the duo and the BJP's state leadership emerged over the selection of candidates, following which both resigned from the saffron party.

After that for about a year both took a sabbatical from politics before emerging in the limelight again on Wednesday following their meeting with the Chief Minister.

"All the differences between Mamata-didi and Sovan have been resolved. I feel Sovan still has a lot to give when it comes to politics," Bandopadhyay told mediapersons after the meeting.

However, not all in the Trinamool seem to be happy with the development.

According to Ratna Chatterjee, both said a lot of things against Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee.

"People surely have not forgotten those comments. Now if Sovan Chatterjee wants to come back after admitting his mistakes and the Chief Minister approves that, I have nothing to say," Ratna Chatterjee said.

Officially, she still continues to be Sovan Chatterjee's wife since the divorce case is yet to be resolved.

Trinamool spokesman Kunal Ghosh said, "It is up to the Chief Minister to decide whether Sovan Chatterjee will return to Trinamool Congress. But all I can say is that many who joined the BJP with some sweet dreams before the 2021 Assembly elections are now trying to come back after their dreams turned into nightmares."

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