Malda: A day after taking over the Malda Zilla Parishad, BJP on Wednesday took control of the TMC-run English Bazar Municipality with just three councillors.In the 29-member board, BJP had only three seats. However, English Bazar MLA Amlan Bhaduri secured the chairmanship with the support of 11 TMC councillors who declared themselves Independent, and two BJP members.Following assembly elections, the English Bazar civic body had been plagued by instability, with allegations of corruption and nepotism. The crisis deepened in Sept when chairman Krishnendu Choudhury resigned.Vice-chairperson Sumala Agarwala, who led the group of defectors, said: “We were elected as TMC councillors, but now, we have no party symbol (referring to EC freezing the Trinamool Congress name and symbol). We, therefore, declared ourselves independent councillors today.” Explaining their decision to back Bhaduri, she added: “We wanted the board to complete its term so that the public would not suffer.”
