Kalchini Cong Committee including unit prez joins TMC

Pradip Lama, EOI, Kalchini, 17 July 2014: n an unprecedented political turnaround, Kalchini Congress Committee along with its panchayat and gram panchayat members, working committee members and thousands of supporters led by unit president Mohan Sharma joined the ruling Trinamool Congress today at a function held at Thana Ground here. Before the function, the breakaway congress leaders, members and supporters along with TMC leaders Saurav Chakraborty and Wilson Champramari paid their respect to the memorabilia of late Congress leaders LM Pradhan and Ishwar Chandra Tirkey. Talking about the late leaders, Mohan Sharma said the two leaders always fought for the upliftment and rights of the tea garden workers and he too will follow their steps.

The function today was suppose to be attended by the TMC general secretary Mukul Roy, but since he is accompanying the chief minister Mamata Banerjee for her Darjeeling Hill visit, Roy was unable to attend the meeting. In his absence, Mohan Sharma conducted the meeting and read out the acceptance and vote of thanks letter written by Mukul Roy to arounf 10 thousand congress and TMC supporters assembled at Thana Ground.

Wilson Champramari in his address made the people aware about his longstanding association with Mohan Sharma and said despite belonging to different parties they had a good personal relation. He said Sharma is an immensely popular politician in Kalchini and with him joining the TMC, the party will now have a stronger base in the region and will see a rapid increase in developmental activities.

Similarly, other TMC leaders including Jahar Majumdar, Saurav Chakraborty and Khageshwar Rai along with Forest Minister Binay Chandra Burman and MLA Anil Adhikari also addressed the gathering. They all welcomed the new members and said the arrival of leader like Mohan Sharma has added further boost to the chief minister's vision and aspiration for overall development of the state.

Today’s function saw a total of 54 Congress gram panchayat members from 10 of the 11 GPs in Kalchini Block along with 21 other panchayat members joining the TMC band wagon. They were handed over the TMC flags by party leaders including Saurav Chakraborty, Padam Lama, Bishnu Lama, Khageshwar Rai and Wilson Champramari.

After the function Saurav Chakraborty held a press conference along with Mohan Sharma and informed Sharma will now actively work for the development of Kalchini as a TMC leader and in future will be given the responsibility of the party’s activities in Dooars and the Hills. Sharma in his part acknowledged Chakraborty’s statement and vouched to take the responsibility earnestly and work for the betterment of the people.

Responding to the allegation of him being an opportunistic politician, Sharma said, “I am not opportunistic. Rather, I have chosen to work for the benefit of the people working in the TGs and forests of Kalchini under the able leadership of Mamata Didi.” He said the allegation of him being opportunistic was levied on him by Congress and NUPW leader Babulal Mukharjee. “I respect Babulalji as a senior leader and do not want to comment on anything he says against me,” he claimed.

On few TMC members being against the move, TMC leaders Ranjeet Ghosh and Bishnu Lama clearly ridiculed the rumor and said it’s a blatant ploy to defame the party. They said the TMC members and supporters were actually happy about a leader like Mohan Sharma and a large group of his supporters joining the party.

The massive move of Congress supporters into the TMC has not only created a huge political turmoil in the region, but has also increased the prowess of the ruling front in terms of support base. Political observers now believe the state assembly elections in 2016 will be fought only between the TMC, BJP and RSP.

Meanwhile, the function today also saw GJM leader and Jaigoan-2 GP Pradhan Passang Diki Sherpa, CPM leader Arun Pariyar and RSP’s Garopara GP member Kamal Mahali and Badal Ram joining the TMC.