TMC regains control of S Dinajpur Zilla Parishad with return of sabhadhipati

BALURGHAT: In a major setback for the saffron brigade, South Dinajpur Zilla Parishad sabhadhipati Lipika Roy, who had joined BJP from Trinamool around six months ago, returned to the party fold again on Sunday, giving Trinamool control of the Zilla Parishad.

District Trinamool president Arpita Ghosh welcomed the step of Roy and handed over the party flag to her in a programme at the Balurghat party office. After the joining of Roy, Trinamool now has absolute majority with 14 members, while the BJP has only three with the other one belonging to an Independent member in the 18-member Zilla Parishad.

Answering a question on why she has left BJP and joined Trinamool again, Roy said: "I was misguided by some senior district and state-level BJP leaders and consequently I left Trinamool and joined BJP. The saffron brigade is now trying to divide people by the name of Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens and that is why I left the party."

It may be noted that acting ZP purta-karmadhakshya and BJP leader Mafijuddin Mian has resigned from BJP on December 13, protesting against the same issue. Mian then declared that he would work as an Independent member of the Zilla Parishad.

Trinamool lost control of the Zilla Parishad on June 24, as 10 party councillors switched sides to join the BJP.

Visibly happy with the return of Roy and getting back the control of the Zilla Parishad, district Trinamool chief Arpita Ghosh said: "Roy had contacted me and state-level senior party leaders to join our party again. Our party has also welcomed her. We have absolute majority in the ZP with 14 members, while the other four members will join Trinamool soon. We now have the only target of bringing back the work culture in the ZP. There had been no proper development since June after 10 Trinamool members joined BJP. It is good to see that they have understood and repented for their error in quitting the party. Thanks to CAA and NRC that make us all united."

She hinted that several other BJP leaders from all eight blocks of the district are likely to join TMC soon, over the turmoil regarding CAA and NRC.

According to a political observer of the region, TMC has captured the power of the Zilla Parishad now and the Gangarampur municipality a few months ago, for the tactical gamesmanship of Ghosh.