Trinamool Congress takes over Murshidabad Zilla Parishad

Ten Zilla Parishad members, seven from Congress, two from CPI(M) and one from RSP joined Trinamool. Now, Trinamool has 39 members in the 70-member Zilla Parishad. It had only one member when the Zilla Parishad was formed. Ten Zilla Parishad members joined Trinamool at a function presided over by the state transport minister Suvendu Adhikari who looks after Murshidabad on behalf of the party. Earlier Trinamool had established control over Malda Zilla Parishad.

Adhikari said the party members would move the no confidence motion against the Zilla Parishad board on September 12 and as it had 39 members, it would face no difficulty in forming the board. Trinamool has control over three municipalities, Azimganj- Jiaganj, Jangipur and Bendanga. It will take control over Behrampore municipality when Congress councillors will join Trinamool at a function on September 18.

In a desperate bid to cover up his failure to give leadership in the district, Chowdhury blamed the Superintendent of Police and the District Magistrate of Murshidabad for helping Trinamool Congress take over the Zilla Parishad. He alleged that Trinamool workers had threatened Congress leaders with dire consequences and finally paid them huge money as bribe to join the party.

Manoj Chakraborty, Congress leader said it was most unfortunate the way Trinamool was taking over the municipalities and Zilla Parishads throughout the state.

Murshidabad was a RSP stronghold under the leadership of Tridib Chowdhury and former state Irrigation and waterways minister Debabrata Bandopadhyay. After 1980s, CPI(M) made an inroad in the district and slowly cornered the RSP. Chowdhury who was a supporter of RSP joined Congress. 

CPI(M) and Congress had made peaceful coexistence in the district for many years. The two parties did not allow Trinamool to establish its control. To counter Chowdhury and CPI(M), Mamata Banerjee deputed Adhikari to look after the district. She got immediate success. The party bagged four MLAs from the district and later got control over three municipalities. Trinamool has very successfully made Chowdhury insignificant in his home district as well as in Congress and it will be difficult for him to retain his seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. As he is losing control over his district fast, those against him will now raise their voice and Chowdhury will have to face enemies both on the inside as well as the outside.

Trinamool Congress on Friday formally took over Manickchowk Gram Panchayat. It had come under the party unofficially after the Left Front members joined the party. On Friday the members moved the no confidence motion and formally took control over the Gram Panchayat.

Political experts said as both Congress and CPI(M) had lost their credibility, leaders and workers felt it wise to join Trinamool Congress to join the development mission of Mamata Banerjee. Despite all opposition from the political parties and a section of the media, Banerjee has proved beyond doubt that development is the key word in election. If proper development takes place in an area, its leaders are bound to win the polls, the experts maintained.