Firhad Hakim named next mayor of Kolkata

Firhad Hakim, who is also an MLA from the Kolkata Port assembly segment, holds the Transport and Housing portfolios in the state Cabinet.

The Trinamool Congress on Thursday named minister Firhad Hakim as the next mayor of Kolkata after a meeting of the newly-elected councillors of the city civic body.

Hakim, who won the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) election from ward 82, is the former mayor of the city and was appointed the civic body’s administrator after the earlier board’s term expired in 2020 but elections could not be held due to the pandemic.

Hakim, who is also an MLA from the Kolkata Port assembly segment, holds the Transport and Housing portfolios in the state Cabinet. "I want to thank Mamata Banerjee for giving me this opportunity to serve the people of Kolkata again. I have been appointed as the leader of the party and after taking oath as mayor, I will work towards implementing the manifesto," Hakim, the first Muslim mayor of the city, said.

He became the mayor of Kolkata in December 2018 after Sovan Chatterjee’s abrupt exit. South Kolkata Lok Sabha MP Mala Roy, re-elected as councillor from ward 88, was named the chairperson of the KMC after the meeting, held at Maharashtra Niwas here.

She was chairman of the civic body in the earlier term as well. South Kolkata Lok Sabha MP Mala Roy, re-elected as councillor from ward 88, was named the chairperson of the KMC after the meeting, held at Maharashtra Niwas here.

Kashipur-Belgachia MLA Atin Ghosh, who became the councillor from ward 11, was again appointed the deputy mayor of the civic body. All the 134 newly-elected councillors of the 144-ward KMC were present in the meeting.

The BJP won three wards, while the Left Front and Congress won two each in the elections held on Sunday. Three Independent candidates also won the elections. The results were declared on Tuesday.

(With PTI inputs)