TMC to lose seat in Jhalda, councillor resigns
The Trinamool Town Board in Jhalda in Purulia fell into crisis as the party councilor left the ruling party.
This situation came about after Sheila Chattopadhyay, the ruling party councillor of Ward No. 3 of the Jhalda municipality, submitted her resignation on the WhatsApp of the Purulia district Trinamool president in the afternoon of Lakshmibar on the day of Vaiphonta. She was also the President of Jhalda City Women’s Trinamool. He won as an independent and joined the ruling party on the day the results of the municipal elections were announced. Recently she was given the responsibility of Mahila Trinamool in that city.
After leaving Trinamool, Councillor Sheila Chattopadhyay said, “I informed the district president about my defection on WhatsApp.” Purulia District Trinamool President and Public Health and Environment Standing Committee of Purulia District Parishad Soumen Beltharia said, “That councilor has given me a resignation letter. Why this happened is being sought at the party level.” Purulia District Congress President and former MLA Nepal Mahato said, “Trinamool has become a minority in Jhaldarpur Board. If the ruling party has any morality, the mayor should resign now.” According to him, more surprises are left. Trinamool mayor Suresh Agarwal said, “The party is watching what is happening after the impeachment. These issues will be dealt with politically.”
On 13th of this month, five members of the Congress and independent councilor Somnath (Ranjan) Karmakar, expelled from the Trinamool Congress, moved a motion of no confidence against Jhaldar Mayor Suresh Agarwal, who is led by the Trinamool Congress. District Trinamool held a meeting with party councilors of that municipality at Purulia district Trinamool office last Tuesday to deal with this distrust. This Trinamool Councilor Sheila Chattopadhyay was absent in that meeting. Since that day speculation was going on in Jhaldapur city. After today’s defection, more new speculations in Jhaldapur city, this councilor will be made a board with two independents by placing this councilor in the chair of the Congress mayor. However, Sheila Chatterjee did not decide whether to join another party or not.
However, even though the Trinamool Municipal Board is in crisis, the no-confidence meeting has not yet been called. If no-confidence motion is brought against the mayor, according to the municipal rules, the mayor has to call the meeting within 15 days from the date of motion of no-confidence. If he does not call that meeting, after the deadline of the mayor, the deputy mayor can call the meeting for the next seven days. If he also refrains from calling the meeting, any three councilors of the municipality can call the meeting at the end of his term. If they also do not call this meeting, then the District Magistrate must call the meeting within 15 days of the deadline of those councillors. In that meeting, trust and distrust will be proved.
There are total 12 wards in this municipality. The resulting magic figure is seven. Trinamool Congress and Congress won five seats each in the municipal election results. Independent party to win two seats. But on the day of the results, independent councilor Sheela Chatterjee joined the Trinamool, increasing the number of seats to six for the ruling party. After that, Tapan Kandu, Congress councilor of ward number two of Jhalda municipality, was killed. However, Somnath Karmakar, another suspended councilor from Trinamool on the day of formation of the board, also supported the ruling party. As a result, Trinamool Board was formed in Jhalda Municipality with the support of seven councillors. In the by-election in the ward of deceased Congress councilor Tapan Kandur, his nephew Mithun Kalu of Congress won from that ward. Currently, the number of seats in the ruling party has reduced to five as Trinamool councilor Sheila Chattopadhyay left the Trinamool party. Similarly, Congress holds five seats. Independent again as usual two
