A section of representatives of Trinamul in Malda with the two lower rungs of the three-tier panchayat system are teaming up with other parties, mostly the BJP, to table no-confidence motions against panchayat chiefs from their own party and remove them.

In Malda, where Mamata Banerjee’s party won eight of the 12 Assembly seats, feuds in Trinamul are showing “a new trend”, said a senior party leader. “This time, panchayat members of Trinamul are removing party pradhans and backing BJP representatives.”

In 2018, Trinamul got a majority in around 80 of 146 panchayats in Malda.

“As a no-confidence motion can’t be started against an elected panchayat head in the first two-and-a-half years after the boards, it seems these people were waiting for this time to pass,.” said an observer.

“Now that the time has passed, they are upping their ante,” said an observer.

During the past couple of weeks, a number of such cases have surfaced. Trinamul members of Birnagar–II panchayat in Kaliachak-III block, along with BJP members, have started the process to remove the Trinamul head. “Despite knowing that the BJP will capture the post amid the rift among us, they are determined to remove me,” said pradhan Soma Roy.

Trinamul members of Chowki-Mirdadpur panchayat of Manikchak block replaced the Trinamul pradhan with a BJP member. Trinamul expelled them immediately.

In Kaliachak–II block, the sabhapati of the Trinamul-run panchayat samiti had to step down when Trinamul and BJP members together voted against him.

Trinamul and BJP members of Rathbari panchayat of Manikchak block and some other panchayats of Ratua-I, Habibpur and Harishchandrapur blocks recently joined hands to place no-confidence motion against the pradhans.

“Such anti-party moves will not be tolerated. I will submit a report to the state leadership soon, said Krishnendu Choudhury, a state general secretary of Trinamul who hails from Malda. Malda Trinamul chief Abdur Rahim Boxi said a closed-door meeting would be held on Wednesday on this. “Strict steps will be taken against these people,” he said.