Following his astonishing letter on Monday, where he alleged that Asansol did not receive central funds of Rupees 2,000 crore due to state government, TMC MLA Jitendra Tiwari has denied Firhad Hakim’s allegations of being in touch with BJP.

In a tell-all letter to Hakim, Tiwari – the outgoing mayor of Asansol Municipal Corporation (AMC) – alleged that “due to political reasons”, Asansol did not get Rupees 2,000 crore under the Government of India’s Smart City Mission project despite being selected by the Ministry of Urban Development.

Reacting to the development, Hakim, the Minister of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Government of West Bengal, alleged that Tiwari’s step was influenced under the allusion of BJP’s “propaganda”.

However, Pandeshwar legislator Tiwari has refused the claim and said that BJP “could be in touch with Hakim but not me”.

“This generalisation of calling me a BJP agent and asking me to leave TMC should not be done just because I talked about the development of Asansol. We stay at Asansol and we are answerable to the citizens of Asansol,” Tiwari was seen saying to Bengali channel ABP Ananda.

“I love Mamata Banerjee as much as he (Firhad Hakim) loves. BJP could be in touch with him but not me. I have always stood at forefront in the fight against BJP.

I’ve written a letter to my own minister. I don’t understand what’s the harm it. I’ve done similar things in the past as well,” he added.

Tiwari on Monday, vented his disappointment at the state government and in particular at Hakim for not allowing Asansol to take the benefits of the central scheme.

“Being born and brought up as a responsible citizen of Asansol and performing the responsibilities of the Urban Local Body of this city as a Chairman, Mayor & Administrator from past several years I am very grieved to state you that our city was chosen by the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India under Smart City Mission Project which if would have been allowed by you our city could have received funds amounting 2000 Crores which would be very crucial for development of our city. Asansol was chosen under this project as a result of tremendous work effort of Councilors and entire team of AMC leading to being qualified as a city to be chosen under this but due to political reasons we were not allowed to get the benefits of this project by the State Government,” Tiwari wrote in his letter to Hakim, the outgoing KMC mayor.

“It was instead promised that funds will be made available by the State Government for overall development of this city but it was not done. Similarly under Solid Waste Management project Asansol City could have received another 1500 Crores Fund by the Central Government like several other cities in our country but you and your department have not allowed us to get the benefits of these Central Government Funds due to which I feel that injustice has been made to the City of Asansol,” he added.