Congress, Left join hands to defeat Trinamool in Suri

Congress and CPI(M) joined hands in electing an independent candidate as a municipality chairman in a West Bengal district with Trinamool Congress accusing them of having a secret understanding.

In the election to the chairman's post in Suri municipality in Birbhum district, Independent councillor Ujjwal Mukherjee defeated Trinamool Congress candidate Pritikana Bhattacharya yesterday by four votes.

Trinamool Congress was the single largest party in the municipality having won eight of the 18 seats.

Mukherjee secured 11 votes, while Bhattacharya got only seven, though her party has eight councillors.

The Congress has six councillors, Left Front three and Mukherjee is the lone Independent.

"The Congress and CPI(M) have formed an unholy alliance here to prevent Trinamool Congress from coming to power," Birbhum district Trinamool Congress chairman and MLA Ashis Banerjee said.

"It was clear that at least one councillor, if not more, had defected to their camp. We have started our investigation to identify who had voted for their nominee. We will take action against those who had cross-voted," he said.

On the other hand, Birbhum district Congress president Susobhan Banerjee denied the charge. "We had issued a whip to support Trinamool nominees in Suri, Bolpur and Rampurhat civic bodies in Birbhum district. If someone ignored that whip, we will take action," he said.

He, however, alleged that councillors of other parties, including the Trinamool Congress, too voted for the Independent nominee in the Suri civic body.