Trinamool wrests Beldanga municipality from Congress

Bharat Jhawar, chairman of the municipality along with six councillors joined Trinamool Congress at a function at Trinamool Bhavan in presence of Suvendu Adhikari, state transport minister who is looking after the party in Murshidabad.

Earlier, the party took control over Jangipur and Azimgunj-Jiagunj municipalities. Of the 119 municipalities in the state, now only eight are under the control of Opposition parties.

Congress now has three municipalities under control, namely, Kandi, Baharampur and Murshidabad.

Adhikari said the fort of Chowdhury in Murshidabad was crumbling down with more and more Congress workers joining Trinamool.

A Congress member of Murshidabad Zilla Parishad also joined Trinamool taking the strength of the party to 19 in Murshidabad Zilla Parishad. It may be recalled that two MLAs, Tushar Kanti Bhattacharya of Congress and Dipali Biswas of CPI(M) have joined Trinamool Congress. It may be mentioned that Kaliaganj municipality in North Dinajpur has also come under Trinamool’s control.

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee had entrusted Adhikari with the job to look after the party in Murshidabad which is considered to be the fort of Adhir Chowdhury.

There was time when people used to say that “Adhir’s word is law in Murshidabad.” Chowdhury had made veteran Congress leader Atish Chandra Sinha insignificant in the district.

Political analyst said it was a great achievement of Trinamool to establish its control over three municipalities in Murshidabad within two and a half months of coming to power for the second time. 

They maintained that it showed that Chowdhury was fast losing ground in the district. “Just as he made Atish Sinha insignificant in the party, Trinamool wil make him insignificant in the party soon,” they said adding it was really interesting to note that Chowdhury did not take any step so far to ensure that rank and file did not join Trinamool Congress.

Chowdhury said Trinamool had “bought the councillors who have joined the party. They have been threatened and they succumbed to the pressure of TMC.”

Refuting Chowdhury’s allegations, Adhikari said: “It is unfortunate that Chowdhury has not realised the reality that he is losing ground in his home district. The councillors have seen what development has taken place under Mamata Banerjee. It is neither coercion nor money but the desire to develop the area has the main issue behind their joining Trinamool Congress,” he said.