Former TMC Minister Sujit Bose arrested in municipal recruitment scam case: CEO Agarwal to be new chief secy under Suvendu

ED arrests former West Bengal minister and TMC leader Sujit Bose over municipal recruitment scam

Earlier on Monday, the central agency had summoned the Trinamool leader and his son, Samudra, for interrogation.  

Rural Bengal 

This is the first arrest of a high-profile minister in the Trinamool government since the change of guard in Bengal. Allegations of institutionalised corruption were a major poll plank of the BJP in the campaign for the Assembly election.  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah made multiple references to Trinamool's alleged corruption. After his first cabinet meeting on Monday morning, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari had said the new government would take all steps to weed out corruption from the administration.

During the 15 years of Trinamool rule, several ministers, MLAs and key government officials were interrogated and arrested in the school teachers' recruitment scam and for alleged coal and cattle smuggling. 

Sujit Bose, the former Bidhannagar MLA and vice-chairman of the South Dum Dum municipality, was summoned and appeared before the ED on May 1.  

Earlier, Bose had evaded summons issued by the central agency, which probes money trail in corruption cases, saying he was busy with the election campaign. The CBI, which had probed the municipal recruitment scam, had claimed municipal jobs were handed in exchange for cash, similar to what had happened with the recruitment of primary teachers in the state.  

West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal was appointed the chief secretary of the Suvendu Adhikari-led BJP government in the state, according to an official order issued on Monday.  

Agarwal, a 1990-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre, helmed the EC-mandated SIR exercise in the state in the run-up to the assembly polls in which around 91 lakh voters were removed from the electoral rolls.

Incumbent Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala, appoited by EC after announcement of poll dates, was named Principal Resident Commissioner in New Delhi, the order stated.

New Chief Secy - Agarwal 

Former BJP state president and MLA from Kharagpur Sadar, Dilip Ghosh will be new Rural Development and Animal Resources development portfolios. 

The ministry is expected to play a crucial role in rural infrastructure, panchayat-related governance and livestock management. This area is bound to get immense push under new BJP government. The rural Bengal is what the Leftists used to dominate and later drew political strength from. 

Bongaon North MLA Ashok Kirtania has been appointed as the food minister.

The department will oversee food distribution, ration systems and implementation of welfare-linked food schemes across the state. Ranibandh MLA Kshudiram Tudu has been entrusted with the backward classes welfare department. The ministry is expected to focus on welfare measures, scholarships and social development programmes for backward communities across Bengal.  

Agnimitra Paul 

Asansol North MLA and prominent women face in the party, Agnimitra Paul has been allocated the women and child welfare portfolio. The department is likely to remain significant for the BJP government, particularly amid its push for women-centric welfare and safety initiatives. 

She will be also the Urban Development minister.  

Mathabhanga MLA and former Union minister Nisith Pramanik has been given charge of north Bengal development along with sports and youth welfare. The portfolio is important as the BJP has maintained a strong base in North Bengal and aims to further strengthen its presence in the region.

A senior BJP leader said the distribution of portfolios reflected the party’s attempt to balance organisational experience with regional and social representation.