Trinamul leadership in Malda district has decided to seek resignation of gram panchayat heads against whom resentment is growing to prevent defection of disgruntled party members.

On Thursday, Abul Kalam Azad, gram panchayat pradhan of Enayetpur, was asked to tender his resignation.

Trinamul had won all 11 seats of Enayetpur in the last rural polls but sources said that at least six members had complained against Azad to district leaders.

Subhadeep Sanyal, Malda district INTTUC president and a member of party’s district core committee, said that they had asked panchayat members to bring any discontentment against their head to their notice. “If the majority of the members do not want the panchayat head to continue than the panchayat pradhan would be asked to step down.”

According to panchayat rules, no-confidence motion cannot be moved against the rural body head until two-and-a-half years after the formation of the body.

Bengal rural elections were held in 2018, which is why Trinamul leaders apprehend that BJP and other opposition parties might encourage their party leaders to move a no-confidence motion.

Of the 146 gram panchayats in Malda district, Trinamul is in control of over 80 panchayats.

Sources said that similar problems were brewing in some more gram panchayats.

“We feel this policy is better than letting our disgruntled members hold hands with the BJP to remove our party village head,” said a senior Trinamul MLA.

Some leaders wondered what if the policy rebounded.

“The popularity of a gram panchayat pradhan must be gauged very minutely or else the plan might backfire,” said an observer.