Gopal Seth becomes administrator of Bongaon Municipality

Kolkata: The state Municipal Affairs department, on Tuesdat, removed Shankar Adhya from the post of administrator of Bongaon Municipality.

Gopal Seth, former party MLA has been appointed as the new administrator. The department has asked Seth to resume duties at the earliest.

There had been a strong demand from Trinamool Congress to remove Adhya from the post since the party nominee lost the Assembly election from Bongaon North seat.

Trinamool got 20 out of 22 seats in Bongaon Municipality in 2015 and Adhya was made the chairman.

However, over the years there had been erosion in party's vote bank. In 2019 Lok Sabha election, BJP candidate took a lead by 18,000 votes from the areas under Bongaon Municipality. Immediately there was demand to remove Adhya by TMC leaders including Biswajit Das, Trinamool Congress MLA.

Fourteen councillors crossed their side and joined BJP. Adhya was able to save his back after some councillors returned back to TMC and the no-confidence motion brought against the board got defeated by voice vote.

As a mark of protest Biswajit das joined BJP.

In 2021, Trinamool lost both Bongaon North and South seats. After the election results were announced there was a demand to remove Adhya.

Gopal Seth who was been appointed as the new administrator is the son of former Congress leader who later joined TMC Bhupen Seth. Seth was an undisputed leader in Bongaon.

Local Trinamool Congress leaders expressed happiness over the removal of Adhya. They maintained that the party could have done better in Boagan had Adhya been removed before the Assembly election.