CPM-led rural board ousted

TT, Jalpaiguri, June 15: The CPM-led board of Metelli panchayat samiti in Malbazar subdivision was ousted today through a no-trust motion, paving way for Trinamul to be at the helm.

The ruling party didn't win a single seat in the 2013 polls.

The CPM had bagged seven seats in the 15-seat panchayat samiti. The Congress had secured four seats, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha three and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha one seat.

The JMM and the CPM had together formed the board.

"Immediately after the rural polls, all the four members of the Congress joined Trinamul. Before the Assembly elections (this year), one member each from the JMM and the CPM switched to Trinamul. Three more CPM members joined the ruling party after the Assembly poll results were announced. Eventually, Trinamul got nine members on board," a source said.

With the party securing a majority, the nine Trinamul members tabled a no-confidence motion against the JMM-CPM board.

"Today, a meeting was called so that those in power could prove their majority. Only nine members who are with Trinamul were present at the meeting. None of the other six members turned up and the no-confidence motion was passed," an administrative official said. "Another meeting will be convened next week to form the new board."

The Congress has blamed Trinamul leaders for resorting to unfair means to get elected members of other parties into their party.

Trinamul leaders have denied the allegations.