The decision was arrived at an emergency meeting of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) councillors, where Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, were also present.
Hakim will be the first mayor of the city from the Muslim community. He is currently an MLA from Kolkata Port and chairman of Tarakeshwar Temple Trust, which is a famous 288-year-old Shiva Temple.
In the pursuit of appeasing the Muslim voters, Firhad Hakka akka Bobby once described his constituency area as ‘Mini Pakistan’. “Please come along and let us take you to mini-Pakistan in Kolkata,” was his statement when he was addressing an election rally in 2016.
Hakim has been a corporator from South Kolkata and considered close associate of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Firhad is facing a CBI inquiry in Narada sting scam along with 12 other TMC leaders.
On November 20, Sovan Chatterjee had resigned as minister in the State Government. Following the move, Mamata Banerjee asked him to quit as Mayor.
