The Shantipur Municipality in Nadia district today came under the control of the ruling Trinamool Congress after five-time Congress MLA Ajay Dey joined the TMC, along with a group of 18 councillors of the civic body.
"We are very happy that Ajay Dey, along with 18 councillors of the Shantipur Municipal body, has joined the TMC. The municipality now comes under the control of the Trinamool. Several other elected members of the Zilla Panchayat have also joined the party," Trinamool Congress General Secretary Mukul Roy said.
Dey, who was elected five times from the Shantipur Assembly constituency since 1991, had recently been suspended from the Congress for an indefinite period for making objectionable remarks against Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Dey indicated that he might resign from his seat to seek re-election. "I will soon visit Shantipur to seek the blessings of the people of my constituency," Dey said after after joining the TMC.
Shantipur was once known as a Congress bastion under the leadership of Shankar Singh, a known TMC baiter.
