Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) facing tough time in Tripura panchayat formation process

AGARTALA: After the smooth conduct of by-election for more than 3000 panchayats, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)is facing serious problems in reorganizing rural bodies as in many places the party members or the alliance partner is revolting against the decision of the leaders.

The first revolt was reported from Binapani Panchayat under Jirania sub-division where the Indigenous Nationalist Part of Twipra (INPT), a partner of the ruling alliance, captured the post of the Pradhan with the support of the Opposition CPI(M) member.

The IPFT has defended the decision of their local leadership. A senior leader of the party said that we were in alliance with BJP in the State Assembly election but in the panchayat election there was no alliance. So there is no fault if they take support of other political parties to capture power in panchayat.

However, the CPI(M) denied of having any alliance with the IPFT. It said the person supporting the IPFT candidate was expelled from the party long ago and they don’t have any relation with him.

In another interesting development BJP candidate Anima Das was elected Chairman of the Mohonbhog Block Panchayat Samity under Sonamura sub-division allegedly with silent support of two CPI(M) members.

After the by-election, the BJP and CPI(M) have three members each and there was a possibility of tie during the election of the Chairman. But on the election day, one CPI(M) member remained absent and two others including the Vice-Chairman Pradip Debnath attended the meeting but refrained from casting the vote paving the way for the election of the BJP candidate as the Chairman.

The most surprising report came from Kamalpur where BJP leader Amal Ghosh is facing no-confidence within 24 hours of his election as the Pradhan of the Noa Gaon Panchyat. It has been learnt that four out of the eight BJP members in the panchayat has already submitted the no-confidence motion. In Uttar Kalachera panchayat, five out of the six BJP members boycotted the panchayat meeting protesting against the selection of Draupadi Das as the Pradhan without taking their consent.

Minister for Civil Supplies Manoj Kanti Deb has requested the dissident members to accept the decision till the next panchayat election which is only eight or nine months away. In the case of Kalachera, the dissidents honored the Minister’s request but in Noa Gaon the dissident members rejected the formula and remained adamant to proceed with their no-confidence motion.