Crucial SMC bypolls today

TT, Nov. 21: Two bypolls that will decide Trinamul’s ability to bring a no-confidence motion against the Congress in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation will be held tomorrow.

Bypolls will also be held in two wards of Cooch Behar municipality and one seat each in the Jalpaiguri and Malbazar civic bodies.

In the Congress-run SMC, if the party wins both the seats, it can get decisions passed as the Left Front generally abstains from board meetings. For Trinamul, the addition of two councillors to its tally will enable it to bring a no-trust motion against the board.

The Congress and Trinamul have 14 councillors each at the SMC. In the 47-member SMC, Trinamul needs one-third strength — 16 votes — to bring the no-trust motion.

The ongoing imbroglio will continue at the SMC if the the Congress and Trinamul bag a seat each or the CPM wins both.

There will be 16 booths together in the two wards and 80 polling personnel will be on duty tomorrow.

In the 20-member Cooch Behar municipality, Trinamul, which holds the board, has 10 seats.

The Left Front has nine seats but if it wins tomorrow’s bypoll, it will be in a position to stake claim to form the board.

In Malbazar, the CPM has seven councillors and runs the 15-member board.

The Congress has four seats and Trinamul three.