CPM strong in English Bazaar

Statesman News Service

MALDA, March 27. — Political observers here have opined that it may prove difficult for the Opposition councillors of the English Bazaar Municipality to dislodge the CPI-M-backed Independent chairman, owing to the lack of unity among the Opposition comprising the BJP, Trinamul Congress and the Congress after an official announcement of Trinamul Congress’s district president and former chairman of the civic body, Mr Krishnendu Chowdhury, joining the Congress. Reportedly, the Opposition councillors decided to call a no-confidence motion on 3 April against the chairman following a court verdict, but now remain divided over the issue of Trinamul Congress leader Mr Krishnendu Chowdhury’s decision to join the Congress and also to contest from the English Bazaar Assembly seat. Yesterday, the Congress MP, Mr ABA Ghani Khan Chowdhury, finally announced that Mr Krishnendu Chowdhury has joined the Congress. The High Court had issued an order recently to call a requisition meeting on the issue of no-confidence motion against the present chairman, Mr Nihar Ranjan Ghosh and announced that the terms agreed upon in the meeting would not be executed with out further order of the court. The court also stated that the district magistrate or his representative would forward the result of the requisition meeting to the court and only then the court would finally decide on the matter. Political observers said that though 14 of the 25-member board were united, but eight of its members belonging to the Trinamul Congress now are divided on the issue of Mr Krishnendu Chowdhury’s joining the Congress. Interestingly, another Trinamul Congress leader, Mr Dulal Sarkar, who is also the councillor of the English Bazaar Municipality is trying his best to beat Mr Krishnendu Chowdhury. Mr Sarkar, who is now very close to Miss Mamata Banerjee’s camp, had set up a new Trinamul Congress’s office for execution of party work as the district president of the Trinamul Youth Congress. Mr Sarkar was offered a Trinamul Congress ticket to contest in Old Malda, but now he is planning to contest from the English Bazaar to beat Mr Krishnendu Chowdhury. On the other hand, one BJP member out of the 14 Opposition councillors is still undecided over the right course of action and as per reports, the BJP member is planning to nominate a BJP candidate in the English Bazaar to beat Mr Krishnendu Chowdhury, who is almost now finalised by the Congress for contesting as the Congress candidate here. One of the four Congress councillors, Mr Biswanath Guho, is also unhappy with the district Congress leader’s decision to offer a ticket to Mr Chowdhury.