Economist reluctant to contest polls : Pending bypolls and Amit Mitra, Bengal has a minister problem

At helm of state's finance, he is reluctant to contest because of health concerns, may even take up teaching assignment abroad

Amit Mitra.: File picture

Arnab Ganguly   |   Calcutta   |   24.06.21: The Mamata Banerjee government’s task in hand concerns not only the the dwindling finances of Bengal, but also manage the man entrusted to keep money matters in order.

Trinamul Congress insiders say time is running out for Amit Mitra to continue as minister with the bypolls not being announced yet. Add to this is his own reluctance to contest elections and Bengal could well be left without a finance minister.

According to sources,  if efforts to get  Mitra into the Assembly does not work out, he might be offered an advisory role with Mamata herself retaining the portfolio.

Also, Mitra may have his own plans too.

“He could become an adviser. There is a possibility that he might take  up a teaching role in the United States. He was in academics, and he knows  people there. The stress of managing the finances of a state like Bengal is affecting his health,” said a source in the state finance department.

For almost a year, state finance minister Amit Mitra, a PhD in economics from Duke University, has not been seen in public except for video conferences he attends from time to time, mostly with Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Mitra is most likely to skip the presentation of his 11th state budget, which is likely to be held in the first week of July. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had presented the vote-on-account for this year before the election, as Mitra had declared his reluctance to step out of his flat at Ironside Road on health grounds amidst the raging Covid pandemic.

Partha Chatterjee, the state industries and parliamentary affairs minister, could be the choice to present the budget for the financial year 2021-22. Trinamul sources said the chief minister herself was not keen on repeating her performance from last February.

“The decision has not been finalised yet. Partha da is likely to present the budget,” said a Trinamul source.

Mitra’s health concerns were what had prompted Mamata to drop him from the candidate’s list for the Assembly polls. Trinamul sources said Mitra was under pressure to continue as finance minister till an alternative  arrangement could be made.

“Mamata di was reluctant to let him go. Under the current circumstances with state earnings depleting and rising debt, only an astute brain like Mitra’s could have helped navigate the murky waters of finances,” said a Trinamul source.

Data available with the Reserve Bank of India and as per budget estimates for 2021, the outstanding liabilities of Bengal is  around Rs 4.9lakh crore.

Much before Mamata made it to the seat of administrative power in Bengal, she had roped in Mitra as the chairman of the Public Private Partnership Committee of the Railways, when she headed the ministry in the Manmohan Singh government. Mitra, who was once secretary general of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) had also helped prepare a Vision 2020 report for the Railways.

In due course, she announced that Mitra would be the finance minister in her government. That has been the arrangement for the last 10 years.

According to the rules, Mitra has to get elected to the Assembly within six months. Though byelections are waiting to be held, Mitra is not being considered for a return to the state Assembly.

Mamata’s nominee for the Khardah assembly seat Kajal Sinha fell to Covid after the polls were held. The state agriculture minister Sobhandeb Chatopadhyay, who has resigned from Bhowanipore to facilitate Mamata’s entry to the Assembly, is expecting to contest from Khardah.

“Sobhandeb has started preparing for the polls. It is just a matter of time as soon as the election commission announces the date,” said a Trinamul leader.

The chief minister’s initial plan to revive the legislative council is unlikely to fructify by November, which would have allowed Mitra to retain his ministership.

In the 294-member legislative Assembly, the legislative council cannot have  more than 98 members. The process, however, is not in Mamata’s hand. Under Article 169 of the Constitution, the creation of a Vidhan Parishad bill for the state, any state, would have to be passed in the Lok Sabha as well as get the President’s nod.

“Whether the BJP-led Narendra Modi government will ever present the bill in  Parliament is anybody’s guess. There is no reason to believe the state will get its say while continuing to oppose the Centre,” said a senior official.

The legislative council in Bengal was set up in 1952 and abolished under the second United Front government 17 years later. In 2011, Mamata had to back away from pushing for the legislative council under severe Opposition from the Left parties.