1 hr ago
Malda Zilla Parishad Factions Trade Claims Ahead of Leadership Election
Malda’s local council is preparing to choose two leaders on October 6.
One group includes 19 Trinamool Congress members and five Congress members staying in Pakur, across the state border in Jharkhand.
Trinamool member Sagarika Sarkar said police from Ratua came to their hotel and harassed them.
Police officials contacted by the newspaper declined to comment.
Another group of 15 Trinamool members is staying in Old Malda with four BJP members.
The council has 43 members, and 22 votes are needed to win the leadership posts.
The BJP said it had no connection to the alleged police visit.
Some BJP members also questioned whether the party should accept support from Trinamool members.
Nineteen Trinamool Congress members in one faction allege Ratua police visited their hotel in Pakur and harassed them.
Five Congress members are staying with the 19-member group ahead of the October 6 election.
A separate faction of 15 Trinamool members is staying in Old Malda with four BJP members.
The 43-member council needs 22 votes to elect its sabhadhipati and sahakari sabhadhipati.
The BJP denied involvement in the alleged police action; a party functionary also voiced concern about accepting Trinamool support.
- Who
- A faction of 19 Trinamool Congress members, five Congress members, another Trinamool faction, and four BJP members.
- What
- The first faction alleges Ratua police visited their hotel in Pakur and harassed them ahead of the zilla parishad leadership election.
- Where
- The group says the incident occurred at their hotel in Pakur, Jharkhand; the election concerns Malda zilla parishad in West Bengal.
- When
- The alleged visit was on Friday night; the election is scheduled for October 6.
- Why
- The groups are positioning themselves ahead of the election of the sabhadhipati and sahakari sabhadhipati; the 19-member faction says it moved to Pakur to prevent BJP persuasion.
Allegation and political concerns
Denial and counter-position
Police visit in Pakur
Allegation and political concerns
Sagarika Sarkar alleged that police from Malda came to the hotel to harass her group of 19 Trinamool members and five Congress members.
Denial and counter-position
The BJP said it had no connection with the alleged police action. Senior district police officers declined to comment.
Possible BJP-Trinamool support
Allegation and political concerns
A BJP district leader said the party would contest for the sabhadhipati post and suggested support from other members could help it.
Denial and counter-position
A BJP functionary said accepting conditional support from Trinamool members could put the party’s political morality under scrutiny and urged its leadership to take a clear position.
Key facts
- Council
- Malda zilla parishad, a 43-member rural body
- Election date
- October 6
- Votes needed
- 22 to secure the leadership posts
- Pakur group
- 19 Trinamool members and five Congress members
- Old Malda group
- 15 Trinamool members and four BJP members
- Alleged police team
- Personnel from Ratua police station, according to the allegation
Quotes
Sagarika Sarkar
Elected Malda zilla parishad member aligned with the Mamata Banerjee faction of Trinamool.
“We have the support of 24 members, and it is only a matter of time before we win both the posts. But the police tried to harass us. We are not going to succumb. Sensing that the other faction is going to lose, the police are being used to break our mental strength.”
telegraphindia.com
“If someone has a criminal record, the police might knock on his or her door at any time. The BJP has no connection with this.”
telegraphindia.com
Senior BJP functionary in the district
Unidentified senior BJP leader in Malda who criticized the possibility of accepting Trinamool support.
“This stand would put us in front of questions. If we accept conditional support from some elected Trinamool members, our political morality would come under scrutiny. The party leadership should first take a clear stand, that is, either to join hands with Trinamool to grab power as an opportunistic move, or to uphold the political morality for which the BJP is known.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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