KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) faced another political setback on Friday after the chairman of Mekhliganj Municipality in Cooch Behar district, along with five councillors, resigned from the party and joined the Congress, shifting control of the civic body to the opposition.The move comes amid continued organisational strain within the TMC following its electoral defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections and a series of recent defections across districts that have added to internal instability.Mekhliganj Municipality has nine wards in total. Until recently, the TMC held a clear majority with eight councillors, while one seat was held by the BJP. However, with chairman Prabhat Patni and five councillors joining the Congress, the party has now gained a majority in the civic body. One councillor has reportedly chosen to remain with the TMC.After switching allegiance, Patni said further political shifts could take place in the coming days.“I joined the Congress from its Kolkata office. After I return to Mekhliganj, two more councillors will formally join the Congress,” he claimed.Explaining his decision, he said internal disputes had made it difficult to function within the TMC and serve the public effectively.“It is no longer possible to fight from within the TMC. The party is busy with its internal battles. I joined the Congress to work for the development of the area and protect the interests of ordinary people,” he said.He also criticised the BJP and said the Congress would take the lead in opposing the ruling party at the Centre.“The BJP had promised ‘fear out, trust in’ before coming to power. But the situation today is different. We will have to fight the BJP under the banner of the Congress. People’s livelihoods are under threat as hawkers are being evicted. These will be issues of our future movements,” he said.Patni further said he did not approach the TMC leadership before leaving, as district-level leaders were already under pressure and unable to engage in meaningful discussions.The defections are seen as significant at a time when the TMC is dealing with growing dissatisfaction among local leaders and elected representatives, several of whom have either quit or voiced concern over the party’s direction after the poll loss.Responding to the development, TMC Cooch Behar district vice-president Abdul Jalil Ahmed said he did not yet have full details of the situation in Mekhliganj but admitted that some leaders have been leaving the party since the electoral setback.“If someone wants to leave, it is difficult to stop them,” Ahmed said.He added that the party came to power after years of struggle against the Left Front and said those leaving during a difficult phase should have allowed the organisation more time to recover.The Congress, meanwhile, is expected to see the development as a boost to its presence in north Bengal, where it has been trying to rebuild its organisational base amid competition from the TMC, BJP and other regional forces.For the TMC, the latest defections highlight continuing challenges in maintaining its grassroots structure at a time of political churn across West Bengal.
