Kolkata: Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s first official visit to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) since assuming office drew significant political attention on Monday, with the presence of Mamata Banerjee’s sister-in-law Kajari Banerjee and rebel MP Mala Roy adding to the optics of the event.

Kajari, a former councillor of Ward 73 and a member of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s family, attended the programme along with several former Trinamool Congress councillors.

Also present was Mala Roy, former KMC chairperson and MP from Kolkata Dakshin, who is now among the rebel MPs aligned with the NCPI-backed bloc supporting the NDA.

The event marked Adhikari’s first formal engagement with Kolkata’s civic administration after becoming Chief Minister.

Sharing the dais with him were Roy, former Kolkata Mayor and TMC MLA Firhad Hakim, and several leaders associated with the erstwhile TMC-run civic board.

The state government had dissolved the TMC-controlled KMC board on June 9 following Hakim’s resignation as mayor.

An administrator was subsequently appointed, with all councillors, members of the mayor-in-council, committee members and the chairperson vacating their positions in accordance with provisions of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980.

Speaking to reporters, Kajari dismissed any political interpretation of her presence at the programme.

She said the invitation was aimed at ensuring civic work continues smoothly and that developmental issues could be discussed with the Chief Minister.

‘As councillors, whatever little tenure remains, we have been called so that developmental work can continue smoothly. It feels good that the Chief Minister has invited members of the opposition,’ she said.

When asked about repeated summons issued to TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee by central investigative agencies, Kajari smiled and declined to comment.

Besides Kajari, former councillors Debasish Kumar, Ananya Banerjee, Jui Biswas and Asim Bose also attended the programme.

All maintained that their participation was focused on civic administration and public services rather than politics.

However, the gathering carried undeniable political significance. For years, the KMC had been regarded as one of the strongest institutional bases of the TMC.

The presence of leaders linked to the party’s former civic establishment alongside Adhikari highlighted the changing political landscape in Bengal.

Mala Roy’s attendance was particularly noteworthy. Once a prominent TMC face in Kolkata politics, she is now part of the group of rebel MPs whose decision to back the NDA has triggered the biggest parliamentary split in the party’s history.

Officially centred on the launch of the ‘Swachhata Se Swagat’ campaign and urban governance issues, Monday’s programme nevertheless produced images that underscored the evolving equations in Bengal politics, where administrative cooperation is increasingly intersecting with shifting political loyalties.