No-confidence motion moved against Pradhan despite resignation

Darjeeling: The highly charged political spectacle in the Kalimpong municipality ended with a no-confidence motion moved against the Chairman despite his resignation. A new Chairman and Vice-Chairman were named, with the board siding with the Binay Tamang- Anit Thapa faction of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).

Incidentally, the Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong municipalities had been won by the GJM while Mirik fell into Trinamool Congress' kitty. Following the recent agitation, the Darjeeling and Kurseong municipalities had sided with the Binay Tamang- Anit Thapa faction. However, the Kalimpong municipality remained silent.

On December 4, a letter was served to the Chairman Subha Pradhan to call for a special meeting and prove his majority on the floor of the house. Pradhan had called a meeting on Thursday. Prior to this, Pradhan, who is known to be a Bimal Gurung sympathiser, had resigned from the GJM along with 5 other councillors.

On Thursday, at the special meeting, even before the no-confidence motion could be moved, Pradhan tendered his resignation from the post of Chairmanship.

Following this, the house moved the motion by means of a secret ballot. There were 20 votes cast against Pradhan and 2 for him. There are 23 seats in the Kalimpong municipality. With the death of a councillor, 22 councillors had attended Thursday's meeting.

"Even I voted against myself as I had already tendered a resignation. I will continue to remain a ward councillor and will remain as an independent councillor along with 5 others," stated Pradhan.