Siliguri backfires: Cong loses Ranaghat to Trinamool

Trinamool leaders blamed the wholesale defection on the Congress decision to seek and accept support from the Left to wrest Siliguri mayor’s office,saying these councillors were “unhappy”.

The 16 Congress councillors,including chairman Parthosarathi Chattopadhyay,met Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee today at her Kalighat residence.

“We welcome the councillors from Ranaghat. They officially joined us today,” said Mukul Roy,senior Trinamool leader and Union Minister of State for Shipping,adding it was a result of the Congress’s “unethical” move in Siliguri.

In Ranaghat Municipality,there are 19 councillors,all from the Congress. With the en masse defection,the Trinamool can now form the municipal board.

“In Bengal,Mamata Banerjee is the supreme Opposition leader and the only force against the CPM-led Left Front. We feel the Congress is not doing enough to oust the Left from Bengal,” said Chattopadhyay.

Congress Nadia unit president Shankar Singh said,“The Trinamool has started a game of splitting our party and wooing away our leaders. This will not weaken us but expose the Trinamool’s designs. We will take action against the councillors.”

Meanwhile,Roy lashed out at state DGP Bhupinder Singh for his comments that Maoists had close relations with a particular party in the state. “Though he did not name us,it is clear he is talking about us. Of late,he has become the spokesperson of the CPM in Bengal. We strongly protest against his comments.”

The Union minister also slammed the CPM for calling a bandh at Arambagh in Hooghly tomorrow,when a Trinamool rally is scheduled to be held in the area. Roy said his party is determined to hold the rally.