New Delhi, June 5 -- Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Firhad Hakim stepped down as Kolkata mayor on Friday, a move seen as another sign of the political fallout following the party's Assembly election setback, which is now affecting institutions that have long formed the backbone of its influence.

Hakim, regarded as one of the TMC's most prominent minority leaders and a longtime close aide of Mamata Banerjee, submitted his resignation to the office of KMC Chairperson Mala Roy. The administration of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is now expected to be handled by bureaucrats until the state government determines the next steps.

"During my tenure, Kolkata faced several difficult situations, including Cyclone Amphan and the COVID-19...