Graffiti displayed on a wall shows the names of two Trinamul candidates , who are going to contest the elections for Ward no five from the Old Malda Municipality. Pic: Sudip Roy Choudhury.
Statesman News Service MALDA, 28 APRIL: Still to forge an alliance with the Congress either in Old Malda or English Bazaar, the two civic bodies of Malda that go to poll next month, the Trinamul has landed up in an internal problem it can ill afford at this juncture.
Claiming each was the official party candidate for the forthcoming polls from ward number 5 of Old Malda Municipality, two Trinamul supporters have started campaigning for themselves much to the embarrassment of the Trinamul leadership. Unfazed, the two have pitted against each other with graffiti effecting an in house competition.
The Trinamul Congress in Malda is divided into two camps wit one loyal to former district president, Mr Dulal Sarkar and the other to the sitting district president Mr Goutam Chakraborty.
Though the two leaders on the instruction of the party state leaders on the instruction of the party state leadership have apparently arrived at an understanding for candidate selection for the two civic body elections in the district, their followers are still at loggerheads.
Meanwhile, one Mr Baishistha Tribedi, who is a Dulal Sarkar loyalist , is projecting himself as the Trinamul candidate for ward number 5 of Old Malda Municipality.
Contradicting Mr Tibedi’s claim, Mr Srikanta Agarwal alias Chhatu, a known Goutam Chakraborty follower has started campaigning for himself as the official Trinamul candidate for the same ward.
Although Mr Goutam Chakraborty has admitted the problem, Mr Sarkar was not available for comments. “The problem would be sorted out soon and only one Trinamul Congress candidate would contest from ward number 5”, said Mr Chakraborty.
Meanwhile, the Congress has started campaigning for its candidates in more than 14 wards including the controversial ward number 5.
In another development, revising its earlier decision to allot party symbol to only two sitting party councillors in the English Bazaar municipality, the Trinamul Congress state leadership has finally agreed to allot symbol to four sitting councillors, complicating the seat adjustment issue with the Congress at the EBM further. The Congress has already selected candidates for two of the four wards that Trinamul Congress wants. “Everything is dependent on seat adjustment between the two parties. We will continue our dialogue with the Congress for seat adjustment till the last date of filing nomination. But if the Congress does not agree to give up at least 12 out of 25 seats in the EBM, we will have to go ahead without their support”, said the Trinamul district president, Mr Goutam Chakraborty.
The English Bazaar Congress, MLA, Mr Krishnendu Choudhury is, however, resolute. “I shall contest from ward no 10 of the EBM. If the Trinamul does not sacrifice the seat they will face the consequence”, Mr Choudhury said today.
Two killed as brick kiln wall collapses
Statesman News Service
MALDA, 28 APRIL: Two women workers were killed and two others injured when a wall collapsed in a brick kiln at Noonbahi in English Bazaar this morning.
Marjita Bibi died on the spot while three other workers were buried under the rubbles. After being rescued, they were rushed to Malda district hospital where one worker, identified as Shila Mandal, was declared dead brought dead. Another worker, Jhallu Sheikh is fighting for his life.
The incident took place when the labourers were arranging raw bricks on floor of the kiln and a wall, unable to bear the weight of the bricks, collapsed on them.
The additional district magistrate of land reforms, Mr K N Dew ordered an inquiry into incident. “The assistant labour commissioner will take action against the brick kiln owner and if the employer does not agree to pay proper compensation to the next of kin, I will personally look into the matter”, he said.
According to the ADM (LR), the kiln was registered under the name of Mrs Sabita Chatterjee.
Mr Soumyanil Sarkar, the assistant labour commissioner in Malda said: “We have already started an inquiry and we will see if there was any violation in implementation of the provisions of labour laws. For now, it is very difficult to say where the labourers were registered. We will take action against the employer if no compensation is provided to the kin of the victims”.
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