CPM eyes SMC chairman post

TT, Siliguri, May 8: The CPM today said the candidate for the chairman's post at the Siliguri Municipal Corporation would also be from the party and Independent Arabinda Ghosh would be offered a position in the civic board.

"It is well known that Asok Bhattacharya is our mayoral candidate at the SMC. It was also decided by the Darjeeling district Left Front that the candidate for the post of the chairman will be from the CPM. Once the state government announces the date for the elections for the mayor's and chairman's posts, we will announce the candidate's name for the chairman," Jibesh Sarkar, the Darjeeling district CPM secretary, said at a news conference here today.

Sarkar said once Bhattacharya was elected as the mayor, he would choose the deputy mayor and seven members mayor-in-council.

Of the 23 councillors of the Front, 21 are from the CPM and one each from the RSP and the Forward Bloc.

"According to the Front's practice, the deputy mayor's post should go to the allies. However, only time will tell if the councillors of the Bloc and the RSP would be made the deputy mayor or the MMIC," said a source in the Darjeeling district Left Front.

Asok Bhattacharya, who was also present at the news conference, said although Independent Ghosh had offered support from outside, he would be requested to take up a post at the SMC.

"Even today, we spoke to him (Ghosh) over the phone and would meet him in a couple of days. He has said support will be extended to the Front on the condition that initiatives should be taken for the development of the town and better civic services. Still, we will request him to join any post which he finds comfortable at the board and work with us," said Bhattacharya.