Trinamool Congress takes control of Bolla Gram Panchayat as BJP member joins party

BALURGHAT: The ruling Trinamool Congress took control over a Gram Panchayat from BJP on Tuesday, after an elected member joined Trinamool from the saffron party.

A source said Trinamool attained the majority in Bolla Gram Panchayat, after BJP member Sunil Urao left the party. In the 19-member Bolla GP, BJP had 11 seats and formed the board with 6 Trinamool members, 1 Left Front member and 1 Independent member.

After forming the board, the Independent member joined TMC. BJP pradhan of the GP Poly Das and another member Kamal Soren of the same party also joined TMC in January.

On Tuesday, after the joining of Urao, TMC attained absolute majority of having 10 members and snatched control of the board from the saffron brigade.

Apart from Urao, local BJP leader Balai Das also shifted to TMC, along with his 300 followers from the same region. "We have snatched the power of Bolla GP from BJP. Two senior BJP leaders and 300 saffron workers have also shifted to Trinamool. Protesting against National Register of Citizens, Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Population Register, a huge number of BJP workers from all eight blocks of the district have joined Trinamool. It is good to see that the BJP workers are protesting against anti-people practices and are quitting the party. BJP's only intention is to divide people in the name of religion, which was not accepted by the workers who have left the party," said Trinamool district chief Arpita Ghosh.

Ghosh said that these workers are now realising that actual development can occur only with TMC under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Newly joined Bolla GP member Sunil Urao said: "People are being continuously harassed in the name of NRC, CAA and NPR. I being a responsible citizen protested against the anti-people practices and joined Trinamool." According to a Trinamool insider, the development comes as a major boost for the party in the district, as it works to consolidate its position after the Lok Sabha elections.

A large number of Trinamool workers, who had assembled to witness the joining ceremony, raised slogans for the party and Mamata Banerjee as the party welcomed them into its fold.