Archive · 7 Oct 2026
BJP Wins Malda Rural Council Leadership With Trinamool Faction Support
The Malda zilla parishad is a local rural council with 43 members.
The BJP had won only four seats in the 2023 election.
On Tuesday, BJP member Dipali Bala was chosen to lead the council.
She won because nobody else was nominated.
Lipika Barman Ghosh of Trinamool was chosen as her deputy, also without an opponent.
Twenty Trinamool members from Ghosh's faction attended along with the four BJP members.
The election took place after the previous leaders resigned and a court order set a new date.
Three Congress members were arrested before the meeting, and a Congress MP accused police of interfering.
A BJP MP denied the party had anything to do with the arrests.
Dipali Bala of the BJP was elected unopposed as Malda zilla parishad sabhadhipati.
Lipika Barman Ghosh of Trinamool was elected unopposed as sahakari sabhadhipati.
The BJP had four of the council's 43 seats after the 2023 election.
Thirty members attended; three Congress members were under arrest and two skipped the meeting.
A Congress MP alleged police interference, while BJP MP Khagen Murmu said the arrests were a law-and-order matter.
- Who
- Dipali Bala of the BJP and Lipika Barman Ghosh of Trinamool were elected to lead the Malda zilla parishad.
- What
- Bala became sabhadhipati and Ghosh became sahakari sabhadhipati, both unopposed.
- When
- Tuesday, October 6, according to the article.
- Where
- Malda zilla parishad, West Bengal, India.
- Why
- The elections followed resignations by the previous office-bearers and a Calcutta High Court order scheduling a new election.
Critics and Congress leaders
BJP leaders
Arrests of Congress members
Critics and Congress leaders
Congress MP Isha Khan Choudhury alleged police action disrupted the election and helped the BJP, saying the party would approach the court.
BJP leaders
BJP MP Khagen Murmu said the arrests were a law-and-order matter and that his party had nothing to do with them. Police declined to comment on the allegations.
BJP-Trinamool arrangement
Critics and Congress leaders
CPM district leader Debajyoti Sinha said Trinamool members who joined hands with the BJP had betrayed the public.
BJP leaders
Khagen Murmu said the BJP did not seek support from other parties and had only proposed its candidate.
- Rural body
- Malda zilla parishad, with 43 members
- Sabhadhipati elected
- Dipali Bala of the BJP, elected unopposed
- Sahakari sabhadhipati elected
- Lipika Barman Ghosh of Trinamool, elected unopposed
- Members present
- 30 of 43 members attended the election meeting
- Election attendance
- Four BJP members, 20 members of the Lipika-Rafiqul faction and six members of the rival Trinamool group attended
- 2023 election results
- Trinamool won 34 seats, Congress five and the BJP four
- Congress members
- Three were under arrest and two skipped the meeting