Cong, CPI(M) MLAs join TMC on Martyrs’ Day

The establishment of control over Kaliaganj municipality by Trinamool Congress and the joining of two MLAs, Tusharkanti Bhattacharya of Congress and Dipali Biswas of CPI(M) have caused a major dent in the alliance politics in West Bengal.

Aritra Mazumdar, general secretary of Congress in Murshidabad and the brother in law of WBPCC president Adhir Chowdhury has joined Trinamool Congress. Five councillors of Kharagpur municipality and two councillors from Purulia municipality have also joined TMC.

Bhattacharya had defeated Shyamapada Mukherjee, former textile minister in 2016 Assembly election in Bishnupur. Biswas on the other hand was elected from Gajole in Malda district. The erosion in the vote bank of Congress and CPI(M) is going unabated. Already some local, zonal and district committee members of CPI(M) have joined TMC.

Kaliaganj municipality in North Dinajpur came under TMC’s control with seven councillors joining the party from Congress. TMC had two councillors. Thus, the total number of TMC councillors went up to 9 in the 17-member board.

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee said the incident had caused a major blow in Congress’s organisation led by Deepa Das Munshi in the area. “Das Munshi cannot control her own men and had contested against Mamata Banerjee in Bhowanipore.” Banerjee said: “The alliance had received the biggest jolt when Rahul Gandhi garlanded Buddhadeb Bhattacharya at Park Circus maidan in an election rally. The CPI(M) has been reduced to a party of lunatics, he remarked. He urged party workers to oust CPI(M) in the panchayat polls scheduled to be held in 2018. State Urban development minister said BJP had once said “Bhag Mamata bhag.” But now, the situation in Centre is such that in 2019 Lok Sabha polls the slogan would be Bhag Modi Bhag.” He said both Congress and CPI(M) had become spent forces and Trinamool Congress had bright future at the Centre.

Mukul Roy recollected the police firing on this day, 24 years ago and said they had demanded no identity card no vote. However, the Election Commission of India had later accepted the demand. He said Banerjee would play an important role in the national politics in 2019.

He said the people had voted out the conspiracy between Congress, CPI(M) and the owner of a leading vernacular daily. The Opposition thought that by spreading canard they would be able to rule the government. Party’s MP Sudip Bandopadhyay said in the Indian Security Council meeting, Banerjee had spoken with the Prime Minister regarding the steps that should be undertaken to ensure peace and order in the country.