Dangdingguri GP: 3 members shift allegiance from BJP to Trinamool

Cooch Behar: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is all set to come into power in the Dangdingguri Gram Panchayat (GP) of Cooch Behar-II Block. On Wednesday, three members of the Dangdingguri Gram Panchayat shifted allegiance from the BJP to TMC, bringing TMC’s numbers to 12 in the 23-

member GP.

However, the Gram Panchayat Pradhan did not join TMC. As a result, the process of how to remove the village Panchayat chief is also being considered, said district Trinamool president Abhijit De Bhowmik.

In the Panchayat elections, the BJP won 14 seats and the Trinamool won 9 seats in the Dangdingguri Gram Panchayat, giving the BJP control of the Gram Panchayat.

With three BJP members joining Trinamool, the TMC has effectively taken over the village Panchayat. Abhijit De Bhowmik said: “As BJP’s Gram Panchayat members are joining Trinamool, we will appeal to our party leadership to look into how to bring a no-confidence motion in these Gram Panchayats. So far, out of 24 GPs that were under the control of the BJP, 6 have almost come under our control.”

BJP district general secretary Biraj Bose claimed that Panchayat members are being coerced to join by intimidation through the police.