Political parties in Bengal cancel events as rain causes waterlogging in Kolkata

Kolkata, Sep 23 (IANS) As waterlogging disrupted life in Kolkata following overnight incessant rain, political parties in West Bengal cancelled all their scheduled programmes on Tuesday.

The Trinamool Congress did not hold a single political programme for the day.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, too, announced that she will not inaugurate Durga puja mandaps on Tuesday after the city experienced record rainfall.

She will start the inauguration of Durga Puja mandaps from Wednesday if the situation normalises.

The Chief Minister is scheduled to inaugurate the Kalighat fire station, built on the model of the Kalighat Temple, on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in state Assembly and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari cancelled all his political programmes due to heavy rains on Tuesday.

He was scheduled to watch 'The Bengal Files' with BJP MLAs at the Indian Museum in Kolkata.

The same event was also cancelled later on Tuesday.

Apart from this, the Opposition leader was scheduled to inaugurate a puja started by BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar, who was killed in Beliaghata, and a puja in Kasba area of Kolkata.

LoP Adhikari has cancelled all his political programmes.

Three national Congress leaders Supriya Shrinate, Ghulam Ahmed Mir and Mahima Singh were present in Kolkata for a press conference.

"However, due to waterlogging and scattered rain prediction throughout Tuesday, the party meeting had to be cancelled," said Pradesh Congress Convener Mita Chakraborty.

Meanwhile, there was a meeting of the Kolkata district committee of the CPI-M.

However, the CPI-M has already announced the cancellation of the meeting.

Amid the record overnight rainfall, Kolkata and its surrounding areas were submerged under knee-deep water on Tuesday, disrupting daily life.

More than 300 mm of rainfall was reported between midnight to 5 p.m. across the city.

Officials reported that at least seven people were electrocuted in the city.

The West Bengal government has already declared an early Durga Puja holiday in view of the current situation while Calcutta University postponed its examination which was scheduled on Tuesday.

--IANS

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