TMC councillors of Naihati return to roost

The BJP’s use of defection tactics faced a major setback on Saturday as 10 Trinamool Congress (TMC) of Naihati Municipality in North 24 Paraganas district returned to the ruling party in the state to regain the control of the civic body. With this, the BJP lost control of all the six out of the seven municipalities which it took over from the TMC due to defection.

“We have now regained control of six municipalities from BJP. Now they are only left with the Bhatpara Municipality. After the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP forced our councillors to switch sides by holding them at gunpoint. But the success of such undemocratic tactics don’t fail in the long run,” said senior TMC leader and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim. BJP has denied the allegation.

Earlier, out of the 31 councillors of the Naihati Municipality, 18 TMC councillors joined the BJP, thus giving the party a majority in the municipality. But on Saturday, 10 of them rejoined the TMC which is now in control of the municipality.

Refuting the TMC’s claim, BJP leader Mukul Roy alleged that the councillors were forced to return to TMC due to its terror tactics.

“The councillors were exasperated with the way the TMC functioned and hence joined the BJP. But they were being constantly threatened by anti-socials and state administration and were forced to rejoin the TMC,” said Roy.