Malda, Oct. 6 -- In a first in the history of Malda's Panchayat politics, the BJP on Tuesday secured the post of Sabhadhipati of the 43-member Malda Zilla Parishad, with its candidate Dipali Bala winning the election with the support of 24 members. Bala, a Zilla Parishad member elected from Habibpur on a BJP ticket, emerged victorious after a major political realignment saw Democratic Trinamool Congress (DTMC) members backing her candidature.

The post of Saha-Sabhadhipati went to former Sabhadhipati Lipika Barman Ghosh. The BJP did not field a candidate for the Saha-Sabhadhipati post and Barman Ghosh was elected unopposed. The election was held following directions of the Calcutta High Court and came amid intense political contestation over control of the Zilla Parishad.

The 43-member board had originally been dominated by the Trinamool Congress, which had won 34 seats in the Panchayat elections and formed the board with a clear majority. The BJP had won four seats and the Congress five. Barman Ghosh had initially served as Sabhadhipati.

Following a change in the political equation in the state, 19 disgruntled Trinamool members moved a no-confidence motion against the Sabhadhipati and Saha-Sabhadhipati. Before the no-confidence motion could be moved, both office-bearers resigned. Subsequently, the five Congress members supported the rebel Trinamool group in the requisition meeting, further complicating the matter. On Tuesday, 30 of the 43 Zilla Parishad members were present for the election. The attendees included all four BJP members and 26 DTMC members. Eight Mamata All India Trinamool Congress members remained absent, while the five Congress members boycotted the election.

The BJP proposed Dipali Bala's name for Sabhadhipati. No other candidate was nominated. Bala was consequently elected with the support of the BJP members as well as Trinamool members present at the meeting. "We did not seek support from any political party. We do not know who supported whom. Our candidate has been elected as Sabhadhipati.

The Malda Zilla Parishad has now come under the BJP," said Pratap Singh, BJP president of North Malda.

Meanwhile, four among the five Congress members were arrested by the police late on Monday night after they returned to Malda by train from Pakur, Jharkhand where these members along with other MAITC members were staying together before the election.

Congress leader Mausam Noor said that five members of the Congress had boycotted the voting process and alleged that the manner in which the election was conducted raised questions over its legitimacy.

"The election was nothing but a farce. We will approach the High Court demanding cancellation of the election," Noor said.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.