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The spat between north Bengal development minister Gautam Deb and Asok Bhattacharya, the mayor of the Left led Siliguri Municipal Corporation, continues.

Talking to reporters at Uttarkanya here on Monday, Deb alleged that Bhattacharya was travelling to Kolkata frequently to attend party meetings by using corporation funds. Reacting to Deb&’s comment, former urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya refused to comment on what he called a ‘comment in bad taste.’

Deb, who was discussing the development of Siliguri and saying that massive development is coming up in and around Silliguri sub division following construction of Asian Highway -2 project, expressed unhappiness over the mayor&’s role to providing basic services, including garbage management, and street lights to the people of the town.

“After becoming the party&’s state secretariat body&’s member, Asok Bhattacharya is travelling to Kolkata frequently. He is using Siliguri Municipal Corporation funds for his frequent visits to Kolkata for party work. Why will the SMC bear the cost of his Kolkata visits for attending his party&’s secretariat meetings?” Deb said.

“He gave services for his family members when he was the minister. Now he has started recruiting his people in the SMC. The driver of his private car has been appointed as a staff of the SMC. The mayor is managing fuel costs for his private car from the SMC,” the minister added. Reacting to Deb&’s comment, mayor Bhattacharya said: “I am unable to comment on his bad-taste remarks. Being a minister, he can’t make such comments.”

“My party bears the travel costs for me as I attend party meetings in Kolkata. In fact, they (Trinamul leaders) manage expenses from the government&’s exchequer,” an apparently embarrassed Bhattacharya said over phone from Kolkata this evening. “Yes, I have appointed the driver of my private car as a daily rated staff because I have the right to select the driver of my official car,” Bhattacharya said, adding, “ Deb does not deserve credit for development. He executed development work in the SMC from his departmental sources but no payment has yet made. The payment of nearly Rs.10 crore is yet to clear. Even after a meeting with the minister at Uttarkanya, no payment has yet made.”