Following the instruction of his party’s high command, Sisir Mondal, chairman of the Trinamool Congress-controlled Dainhat Municipality in Purba Bardhaman district, whose name cropped up in an alleged sex-for-job scandal, resigned from his post on Friday.
Speaking to the media after submitting his resignation letter to the office of the sub-divisional officer, Mondal said, “As a loyal soldier of my party, I have followed the instruction and tendered my resignation as the chairman of Dainhat Municipality. But I am not quitting the party. I am with the party.”
A few days ago, an audio clip of a woman having a telephonic conversation allegedly with Mondal and requesting a job surfaced on social media. The man, in the purported clip, allegedly sought sexual favours for securing her a job.
As the clip landed in the public domain, the TMC leadership took strong exception to it and started disciplinary action.
It has been learnt from TMC sources that party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee asked the chairman to resign from his post, while disciplinary action against him will be taken later.
The BJP, however, hit out at the TMC for “shielding the culprit” by asking him to resign. “Action must be taken against him. What is the point of asking him to resign if he walks away scot-free for what he has done? The TMC is trying to hush up his crime by asking him to step down,” alleged BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar.
