People's Democracy

Bengal Left Front On Siliguri Mayoral Election

B Prasant

THE Darjeeling district unit of the Left Front shall in the days to come play the role of constructive opposition in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC).  This was stated by Bengal Left Front chairman and Bengal CPI(M) secretary Biman Basu on 1 October.

Biman Basu stated that it had been observed that the �recent elections to the SMC had witnessed the Left Front winning 17 seats, the Pradesh Congress 15, the Trinamul Congress 14, and an independent a single seat.�

�In the post-electoral situation,� said Biman Basu, �the Darjeeling Left Front met and resolved that it would play the role of constructive opposition in the present SMC.  Thus, the district Left Front decided not to put up any candidates for the post of the mayor and for other posts.� 

�On the other hand, over the past fortnight, after many a push and pull, the Pradesh Congress and the Trinamul Congress were not able to reach a consensus on a mayoral candidate representing their �alliance.��

SUPPORT SOUGHT

�Subsequently, on the morning of 1 October, an appeal was issued by the Pradesh Congress to the elected councillors of the SMC to support their mayoral candidate.  The district Left Front met and resolved that to end the evolving situation of political instability and uncertainty, the mayoral candidate of the Pradesh Congress would be provided with outside support.�

�There is no issue involving sharing the new civic board with the Pradesh Congress, at all.  The district Left Front expects that it would be active in the days to come to keep intact the flow of development of the Siliguri civic area.�