KOLKATA: In yet another setback for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) following its rout in the recent Bengal assembly elections, the board of Diamond Harbour municipality was dissolved on Sunday. This development came after nine of the party's councillors resigned, leading to the municipality going under administrative control.
Administrative Takeover
Diamond Harbour sub-divisional officer (SDO) Ayan Dattagupta has taken over as administrator of the civic body. Diamond Harbour is the parliamentary constituency of Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, making this dissolution particularly significant for the party.
Resignations and Reasons
Eight of the nine councillors of the 16-ward municipality had sent in their resignations on May 25, while the ninth resigned on Sunday, leading to the dissolution of the board. The councillors cited financial irregularities within the civic body, police harassment, and intimidation as reasons for their resignations. These allegations point to internal strife and governance issues within the TMC-controlled municipality.
Administrative sources stated that municipal chairman Pranab Das forwarded the resignations to the state urban development and municipal affairs department, which then ordered the dissolution of the board. The dissolution means that the municipality will now be run by an administrator until fresh elections are held.
This incident adds to the challenges faced by the TMC after its defeat in the assembly elections, where the party lost power to the BJP-led alliance. The resignations and subsequent dissolution highlight ongoing tensions within the party and its local governance structures.
