Panic grips CPI(M), Cong ranks as 17 Malda Zilla Parishad members eye TMC berths

A political crisis has cropped up in Malda Zilla Parishad after 17 members expressed their willingness to join Trinamool Congress. Congress and CPI(M) are trying to keep the Zilla Parishad intact and 20 CPI(M) and Congress members have been taken to another place. Congress MPs Mausum Nur and AHA Khan Chaowdhury are rushing from Delhi to save to prevent the ZP being taken over by Trinamool.

It may be recalled that CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury has said that CPI(M) and Congress will fight together to prevent the ZPs been taken over by Trinamool.

In Murshidabad, Trinamool is likely to establish its control over the ZP soon. Congress leaders in Malda said that maximum six to seven ZP members might join Trinamool and the ZP would be under the control of the party.

Though Trinamool leaders remained silent about when the ZP members are joining the party, insiders said that they have come to the city and will be joining the party within a day or two.

Though Trinamool Congress does not have any MLA from Malda after two ministers Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhury and Sabitri Mitra lost in the Assembly polls, the rank and file in CPI(M) and Congress along with the local leaders of both the parties had expressed their willingness to join TMC. 

Suvendu Adhikari, state Transport minister had said a few days ago that both the ZPs in Malda and Murshidabad would come under Trinamool. In Murshidabad, three civic bodies have come under Trinamool. Political analysts said that if this trend continued Congress and CPI(M) would find it difficult to field candidates in the panchayat election scheduled to be held in 2018.

The leaders of both Congress and CPI(M) are puzzled over the way the rank and file are deserting the party. Both Surya Kanta Misra and Adhir Chowdhury have warned those who plan to desert the party, but their warnings have failed to yield results.

The situation has become so bad that CPI(M) has decided not to renew membership of those who have not paid levy to the party for three months.