Mumbai: In a surprise move, Aveek Sarkar on Wednesday resigned from post of Editor-in-Chief of the ABP Group Pvt Ltd, including The Telegraph and AnandaBazar Patrika, according to media reports.
After leading the editorial operations of the ABP Group newspapers for three decades, Sarkar is taking up the role of Vice-Chairman and editor emeritus; the position of Editor-in-Chief will now be taken over by his brother Arup Sarkar who is currently the editor group’s Bengali magazines, reported Business Standard.
In a notice to ABP Group employees, Managing Director and CEO Dipankar Das Purkayastha said R.Rajagopal has been appointed as the editor of the prominent English daily The Telegraph; Anirban Chattopadhyay as the editor of Anadabazar Patrika, and also Ebela — the younger of the two Bengali dailies published by the group.
Sarkar, who was ranked as one of the most powerful Indians in 2009 by The Indian Express, will now oversee the digital operations of the ABP Group and continue to support and consult news operations of the group. The new changes are expected to take place with immediate effect.
Two people familiar with the scenario, who did not want their names to be disclosed, told Livemint that he was considering retirement for some time now. However, other reports pointed out that the resignation comes as a result of ‘streamlining news operations’.
After the news of his resignation broke out, numerous Twitter users started posting different theories that led to his resignation; the main speculation being the publication’s outright ‘attack' on the Trinamool Congress and Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee, ahead of the West Bengal Election 2016 that ended last month.
Sources also indicated that the spat with the ruling party had significantly affected revenues of the group as it wasn’t getting any state government advertisements even after the elections.
However, all of these are mere speculations and nothing can be confirmed until Sarkar comments on his decision to resign.
