All eyes on Madan Mitra as Mamata Banerjee calls review meet

KOLKATA: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will chair a state-level review meeting with all her ministers, chief and home secretaries and other senior government and police officials at Town Hall in the city on September 19. Earlier too, she held such meetings to review the overall performance of her government.

This one, however, gathers special importance because this is the first one since the CBI launched a probe into the Saradha chit fund scam. The arrest of former director-general of police and Trinamool Congress leader Rajat Majumdar and continuous interrogation of some senior Trinamool leaders and MPs have cre ated a flutter in Bengal's political circles and various opposition parties have begun de manding resigna tion from the chief minister.

Two of Mamata's cabinet colleagues -Sports Minister Madan Mitra and Textile Minister Shyamapada Muk herjee -did not at tend the last cabi net meeting held on Friday . Their absence has raised eyebrows even within the party . Even though the CBI has not yet summoned Mitra in connection with the Saradha scam, two of his close aides have been interrogated. The Enforcement Directorate interrogated Shyamapada Mukherjee several times in connection with the scam.

Curiosity is running high both within and outside the Trinamool camp on whether the two will attend the September 19 meeting to be chaired by Banerjee. Many in the Trinamool Congress have hinted that Mamata has indicated in the party's inner circles that she might not hesitate to drop any of her ministers once he or she is found involved in the chit fund scam.

On September 18, Mamata will chair a meeting at Netaji Indoor Stadium, convened to finalise preparations for the Pujas and