TMC wins municipality board as councillor remains missing

Ruling Trinamool Congress won by one vote, a no-confidence motion moved by it in the Congress run Kandi Municipality in Murshidabad district, in the absence of a key councillor who was allegedly kidnapped by the TMC.
Calcutta High Court yesterday directed the Murshidabad Superintendent of Police to ensure the presence of the missing Independent councillor, Debajyoti Roy, when voting takes place at the municipality to elect the chairman.
However, Roy was not present when the voting took place and Trinamool Congress won 9-8, officials said.
Police said it has started an investigation regarding the councillor who has gone missing on February 17.

The High Court has given the order on a petition by Roy's wife Santana Roy, also an Independent councillor, who alleged that her husband was kidnapped by TMC as the couple had said they would support Congress during voting.
State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury demonstrated in front of Kandi police station against the alleged police inaction in finding out the missing councillor.

He said Congress and Left parties will remove the TMC from power in the coming Assembly election.
TMC district president Mannan Hossain, however, denied any role in the disappearance of the councillor and said the Congress is playing dramatics.

Meanwhile, district officials said the new chairman will have to be elected within 15 days.
The Congress formed the 18-member municipal board in Kandi with 13 councillors. But six of them, including the chairman, joined Trinamool last month, taking TMC's tally to nine.