TMC regains control of Bongaon Municipality through back door

Bongaon (North 24 Parganas)/ Kolkata, 16 July (HS):In yet another example of political tug of wars in this bordering North 24 Parganas district, the ruling Trinamool Congress today re-claimed the governing power in the 22 member Bongaon Municipality after allegedly preventing several BJP Councillors from participating in the voting of a No Confidence motion against the Chairman.

As a result large number of BJP workers in the area set up road blacks and sat on a dharna in front of the Municipal building this afternoon  in protest against the illegal means of voting violating all legal and other norms.

Soon they were also involved in clashes with police as they tried to enter the Bongaon Municipality office to lodge their protest overpowering the police cordon.

The police first resorted to lathi charge before bursting several tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. As several BJP workers sustained minor injuries in the lathi charge, soon the entire area near the Bongaon Municipality turned into a battle zone with repeated clashes taking place between the police and the BJP workers violating preventive orders under 144 CRPC in the area.

The trouble began this afternoon at around 4 p.m after altogether nine BJP Councillors of Bongaon Municipality were allegedly locked in a room by the ruling party leaders to prevent them from the No Confidence motion voting against the Chairman.

Two other party Councillors who wanted to vote were also not allowed to enter the municipality building by force by TMC workers.

As a result ,taking advantage of the absence of altogether 11 BJP councillors ‘on time to cast their ballots’, TMC Councillors led by  Chairman Shankar Adhya declared themselves winner and reclaimed  the authority of the 22 member Municipal Board after a gap of a few months.

It may be recalled that after winning the Bongaon Lok Sabha seat by BJP candidate Shantanu Thakur in May this year defeating Trinamool Congress candidate and sitting MP Mamata Bala Thakur against all odds,several TMC Councillors joined BJP to help the party take over the control of the Municipality in the bordering district with comfortable majority.

Recently BJP Councillors brought a No Confidence motion against Chairman Shankar Adhya and wanted to remove him from his post on charge of his alleged involvement in corruption.

But following today’s drama and by preventing BJP Councillors from casting their votes for the motion,TMC once again gained control of the municipality thereby creating more problem and confusion than before as BJP has threatened to move to the Calcutta High Court against such illegal move.

Earlier last week TMC also regained control of Kanchrapara and Halishahar municipalities in the same district after several TMC Councillors who had joined BJP after the Lok Sabha poll, returned to the party fold and extended their support to their old party in a questionable manner.