With all eyes on 64 hung GPs, Malda begins formation of Panchayat boards in district

Avijit Roy, MP, 9 Aug 2023 : With all eyes set on 64 hung Gram Panchayats (GP) in Malda, the process of formation of the boards commenced on Wednesday. Boards for the 146 GPs of Malda will be formed from August 9 to 12, 15 Panchayat Samities (PS) on August 14, and the Malda Zilla Parishad (ZP) board will be set up on August 16. 

Strategies are being formulated by different political camps for selecting the chief of boards, including Pradhan at the GP level, Sabhapati in PS and Sabhadhipati in ZP. For the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the names will reach the concerned places in a sealed envelope from the state leadership of the party. 

On the other hand, the BJP and Congress-CPI(M) alliance will rely on local leaders and candidates to select their heads from among themselves through discussions. However, all eyes are on the formation of boards in those 64 GPs where no single party has been able to attain absolute majority. 

The past has been a witness to unlikely last moment alliances forming boards. Meanwhile, the district administration has taken all measures for the boards to be formed under a strict vigil of the state police. After the declaration of the Panchayat poll results, it was seen that among 146 GPs, TMC bagged 59, BJP 16 and Congress 7, whereas 64 remained hung. 

On the other hand, among 15 PSs, TMC has a majority in 10, BJP in 1, Congress-CPI(M) in 1 and the rest 3 are hung. The MZP has a clean sweep from TMC, winning 34 seats of the total 43. 

Abdur Rahim Boxi, district president of TMC, said: “The district leaders have neither selected the candidates nor the heads of various boards. Names of the heads will be sent to us by the state in sealed envelopes to be opened after the formation of boards. Under no circumstances will the support of BJP be taken.” 

BJP, on the other hand, has constituted a five-member block committee to coordinate among the winning candidates. Parthasarathi Ghosh, president of South Malda organisational district of BJP, said: “In case of hung GPs, we don’t have problems in taking support from anyone. The district will only intervene in case of any dispute.” 

The Congress has bestowed all responsibility on the local leadership about choosing their heads and will take decisions as per the situations but the CPI(M), on the other hand, has restricted their candidates from taking help from the BJP. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/with-all-eyes-on-64-hung-gps-malda-begins-formation-of-panchayat-boards-in-district-528779