WB minister Laxmi Ratan Shukla resigns, Mamata says "no misunderstanding"

Kolkata, Jan 5 (IANS) Weeks after Suvendu Adhikari stepped down as a minister, West Bengal minister of state (MoS) for Sports and Youth Affairs and former cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla on Tuesday resigned from the Mamata Banerjee-led state cabinet. Shukla said that he wants to pursue a career in cricket once again.

Shukla wrote to the CM saying he wished to quit politics and return to cricket once again. He requested the TMC chief to release him from all posts in the party and the state government.

According to sources, Shukla sent his resignation to the Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee and the party's state president Subrata Bakshi. The resignation was accepted by the chief minister as well, sources said.

"I have requested the governor to accept his resignation. Laxmi is a good boy. There is no misunderstanding between him and the party," Banerjee said.

Shukla, a legislator from North Howrah assembly constituency, was the party president in Howrah district. Sources said that the former Bengal cricketer has stepped down from the party post as well. Shukla, however, evinced interest to complete his tenure as MLA in the state legislative Assembly.

Shukla had joined Trinamool Congress in 2016 and became a junior minister in the Sports and Youth Affairs department as the party came to power for the second consecutive term in Bengal. He was appointed as the new party president in Howrah district last year, replacing veteran district TMC leader and state cooperative minister Arup Roy.

Sources close to Shukla said that the former Bengal all-rounder is not going to join any party immediately. He has not said anything yet. He will probably take some rest for the next few days, from the mainstream political activities, and after that he will decide the next course.

Senior Trinamool leader Sougata Roy, however, said that Laxmi never informed the party about his issues. "We will have to look into it," Roy said.