Trinamul veteran Gautam Deb and another party old-timer Pratul Chakraborty filed their nominations for the post of mayor and chairman, respectively, of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation on Monday, being the only one councillors to do so.
“As we have received only one nomination for each of these posts, there will be no elections for these posts tomorrow (Tuesday). They will take oath and assume their office,” said an official in the civic body.
On February 14, as results of the civic elections were announced here, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had announced Deb’s name for the mayoral post.
Chakraborty, the senior most councillor of Trinamul, has been chosen as party’s candidate for the chairman’s post of the civic body.
“Recently, I was informed by the state leadership from Calcutta that Pratul Chakraborty has been chosen for the chairman’s post. I informed him. Today (Monday) we filed our nominations. The names of the deputy mayor and the members, mayors-in-council, would be declared in due course,” said Deb.
A civic body source said a winning councillor intending to contest in any of these two posts should have filed his or her nomination by 1am today.
On Tuesday, the civic body will host a felicitation ceremony of the new mayor, chairman and councillors at Baghajatin Park, an open-air auditorium in the heart of the city.
Deb, while talking to newspersons on Monday, said they will adopt a zero tolerance policy on corruption. “We will put an end to the syndicate raj,” he said.
“We will prevent middlemen from getting into jobs related to the SMC. The quality of every project would be checked and an agency engaged for this purpose. The civic body will also take stern steps against those involved in illegal construction,” he said.
After assuming office, he would soon start a “Talk to Mayor” interactive session with the residents, he said. “Also, “Janatar Darbarey”, another interactive session with residents, would be conducted in all 47 wards of SMC. Our aim is to involve people in the development process,” said Deb.
