'TMC leaders have to follow party principles'

SNS | Siliguri | 26 September, 2016: Trinamool Congress leaders will have to follow the principles of the party, said state tourism minister and Darjeeling district party president Gautam Deb on Sunday.

Deb was talking to reporters on whether there will be any change in the party’s activities on the issues relating to the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC), following the removal of Nantu Paul from the post of the leader of the Opposition at SMC on Saturday. Former district party president and councillor Ranjan Sarkar has replaced Paul.

“It completely depends on an individual about how he or she will deal with a particular issue. Although there might be differences in their style of functioning, but one has to follow the party policy. The leader has to work for the people, for their development, which are the views of our party,” Deb said.

The veteran party leader Paul was appointed as the leader of the Opposition following the directive of the chief minister Mamata Banerjee, last year. He had led some significant movements against the Left Frontrun civic board including the recent agitations against the board over the drinking water crisis.

The board, however, had made it clear that it was not responsible for the crisis, but that the distribution lines were damaged when state PHE department was shifting the lines at Fulbari.

It is believed that due to certain comments made by Paul recently, which had not gone down well with the party leadership, the latter decided to take the step against Paul.

Deb added that it was an internal matter of the party.

“All the councillors unanimously selected Ranjan Sarkar. The proposal, with the signatures of the councillors will be placed before the SMC authorities on Tuesday,” he added.

Sarkar had replaced Deb as the district party president after the TMC failed to win the civic body and Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad polls, last year. Deb returned as the president on 30 June, this year, after the party failed to win a single seat in the district in the Assembly polls under Sarkar’s leadership.