The district Trinamul leadership in North Dinajpur has expelled nine party functionaries, including the immediate past chairperson of the board of administrators of Islampur municipality, for contesting as Independents or standing in support of Independents at the civic polls.

All of them are from Islampur, where municipal elections would be held on February 27. Kanaialal Agarwala, the district Trinamul chief, made this announcement.

“We have found nine such party leaders and functionaries who are working in different posts but have gone against the party’s directive. They have either filed nominations as Independents against the official candidate fielded by Trinamul in different wards of Islampur municipality or are supporting the Independents. That is why the party has decided to expel all of them,” said Agarwala.

Among the expelled is Manik Dutta, a popular face of Trinamul in the town who was also the chairperson of the board of administrators of the civic body. Dutta is contesting as an Independent from ward 11. However, his wife Arpita is the Trinamul candidate of ward 15.

Abdur Rehman, Amal Sarkar, Mohammad Nazir and Ashok Kumar Dey, all of whom were in different posts of Trinamul, but have filed nominations as Independents, are also on this list.

“Satyen Das and Nikhil Das have been expelled for fielding Independent candidates against the official candidates of our party,” Agarwala added.

In north Bengal, elections would be held in 19 civic bodies later this month. In a number of municipalities, disgruntled Trinamul leaders and workers have filed nominations as Independents and are still in the poll fray. Saturday, February 12, was the last date to withdraw nominations.

Only in North Dinajpur district has the party leadership come up with such a stern decision against Independents in the region.

Agarwala also made it clear that even if any Independent candidate wins in the elections, he or she will not be included in the party.
“There is no question of inducting them into the party even in such a situation,” Agarwala said.