Trinamool in dilemma as 21 members of Malda Zila Parishad (district council) including Sabhadipati head towards BJP.
Is Malda Zila Parishad slipping out of Trinamool's clasp before Assembly polls? Zila Parishad Karmadhyaksha Sarla Murmu expressed her disapproval from becoming a Habibpur candidate on Sunday despite being nominated by the party.
People close to Sarla said that she had denied contest from Habibpur since the first. And wished to contest from Old Malda. But as no news about her wish came from Kalighat she boarded the train to Kolkata on Sunday night. Though Sarla did not answer where she would go after reaching Kolkata, her followers said that her sister will join BJP.
On Monday Malda Zila Parishad Sabhadipati Gour Chandra Mondal and 15 others walked down the same road. Sources informed they are joining BJP. If the speculations are true then Trinamool will lose its majority in Malda Zila Parishad.
Out of 33 seats in Malda Zila Parishad Trinamool had 27. BJP had 6 seats. Among the BJP members, Ujjal Chowdhury joined Trinamool and has become the candidate for the Malda assembly. On the other hand, 17 people including Karmadhyakshya Sarla Murmu and Sabhadipati Gour Chandra Mondal have walked towards the saffron camp. If the speculations are true then Trinamool will lose Malda Zila Parishad.
Sarla was once in Congress. After Mamata Banerjee's inspiration, she joined Trinamool. Gour Chandra Mondal assumed the role of Sabhadipati of Malda Zilla Parishad after the previous panchayat polls. Then, Sarla was a normal member of the Zila Parishad. Later she became the Karmadhyaksha. The party change speculation has created a disturbance in Malda's political arena.