Bengal: BJP takes control of East Midnapore Zilla Parishad for first time
Kolkata, June 22
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday officially took control of the Zilla Parishad of East Midnapore district in West Bengal, the native district of Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.
This marks the first time since the introduction of the three-tier panchayat system in West Bengal that the BJP has taken charge of any Zilla Parishad, the highest tier of the system.
Local BJP leader and elected Zilla Parishad member Bamdeb Guchait assumed office as the new East Midnapore Zilla Parishad president.
A few days earlier, the Trinamool Congress-controlled East Midnapore Zilla Parishad was dissolved after its president, Uttam Barik, resigned.
Barik, a former Trinamool legislator from Patashpur, had contested from Chandipur in the recent assembly polls.
Following his resignation, vice-president Suhasini Kar also stepped down, leading to the dissolution of the Parishad.
The East Midnapore Zilla Parishad has 70 seats. Previously, Trinamool Congress held 56 seats and the BJP 14, with two members later passing away.
At the general meeting held on Monday, Bamdeb Guchait and Jaydev Midya were elected president and assistant president, respectively, in the presence of 64 members.
Soumendu Adhikari, BJP Lok Sabha member from Kathi and younger brother of Suvendu Adhikari, was also present.
He said, "From the Centre to the state, from the district councils to the MPs and MLAs, all are now BJP members. With everyone, the overall development of the district and the state will take place."
— IANS
Reader Comments
I'm from East Midnapore and honestly, people are tired of empty promises. Every election, TMC gives us the same speech but nothing changes in our villages. BJP at least seems to be listening to local issues. Let's see if they deliver now that they have some power.
This is a big political shift. Suvendu Adhikari's influence in his home district is clearly working for BJP. But I'm concerned about the role of family politics here - Soumendu Adhikari being present shows dynasty is still alive in Bengal politics, just changed parties. 🤔
As someone who works in rural Bengal, I can tell you people are desperate for proper roads, schools, and healthcare. Zilla Parishads control crucial funds. Let's hope BJP uses this position to actually improve lives instead of just scoring political points. The real test will be in the villages, not the news headlines.
First time in history! This is a massive blow to Mamata Banerjee's grip on Bengal. The way TMC dissolved the parishad rather than fighting shows they are scared. Bengal needs strong opposition to keep the ruling party in check. Good move, BJP.
I appreciate the democratic change but I'm cautious. East Midnapore has seen development under TMC too. Let's not forget that panchayats work best when there's cooperation, not political rivalry. The real winners should be the people of the district, not any party.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.