TMC workers happy as Biplab Mitra becomes Cabinet minister

BALURGHAT: TMC workers of Balurghat rejoiced after Biplab Mitra, party's MLA from Harirampur, took oath on Monday as Agricultural Marketing minister in the newly-formed Cabinet of Mamata Banerjee-led state government. The TMC workers distributed sweets among pedestrians.

"We are extremely happy as our beloved leader Biplab Mitra has taken charge as Cabinet minister of the newly-constituted state government. We are equally grateful to our Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to include him in her ministry," said a Trinamool worker, Mita Nandi. Another TMC worker Babai Pramanick said: "Biplab Mitra is one of the senior leaders of the party. He has been working relentlessly for the growth and development of TMC since the party has been formed. He is a follower of our party supremo Mamata Banerjee. It is a reward for him to be nominated as minister of the new government." Mitra had defeated BJP candidate Nilanjan Roy by a handsome margin of 22,672 votes from Harirampur seat in the 2021 Assembly poll. Earlier, Mitra told reporters that he would put the best of his efforts, if he would become a minister. "I will work for the state's development and simultaneously for the development of the district too," he said.

It may be mentioned that the district had got its last cabinet minister in 2011. Balurghat MLA Shankar Chakraborty was given the responsibility of Cooperative minister first and then became PWD minister. He, however, lost Balurghat seat in 2016. Bachchu Hansda became Minister-of-State of North Bengal Development department after winning the Tapan seat in 2016. In 2021, TMC and BJP won three seats each in South Dinajpur district. While the TMC has won from Harirampur, Kumarganj and Kushmandi, the BJP has bagged Gangarampur, Tapan and Balurghat seats.