After Messi event fiasco, Aroop Biswas resigns as sports minister, retains power portfolio

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday accepted the resignation of her cabinet colleague Aroop Biswas from the sports and youth affairs portfolio following widespread criticism over alleged mismanagement at the Salt Lake Stadium during an event featuring legendary footballer Lionel Messi on December 13.The Chief Minister will hold charge of the sports and youth affairs department until a new minister is appointed, sources said. Biswas, who was handling both the power and sports departments, will continue as the state’s power minister.The ruling Trinamool Congress and the state government have been facing mounting criticism from across the country after chaos erupted at the high-profile event. Thousands of aggrieved football fans ran amok and clashed with police after the Argentine star could barely be seen from the stands, as he was surrounded by a phalanx of people, including Aroop Biswas.In a letter to the Chief Minister, Biswas, a trusted lieutenant of Mamata Banerjee and a heavyweight minister in the Trinamool Congress, stated that he wished to tender his resignation from the sports and youth affairs portfolio in the interest of a free and fair investigation. On December 15, he formally wrote to the Chief Minister seeking to be relieved of the sports portfolio. He urged the Chief Minister to accept his resignation, Trinamool Congress sources confirmed on Tuesday.As criticism against the ruling party and its leaders, particularly Aroop Biswas and Sujit Bose, the state fire services minister, continued to mount after the Salt Lake Stadium fiasco, the state government on Tuesday took administrative action.



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