The digital planetarium at the NBSC. (Kundan Yolmo)

Siliguri, April 2: Congress leaders here hope that they can work out a formula on the sharing of posts at the Siliguri Municipal Corporation with the Trinamul Congress during Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to the town tomorrow.

The Union finance minister is arriving in Siliguri days after Trinamul extended its support to the budget presented by the Congress mayor, cementing the shaky alliance between the two parties.

Mukherjee, who will inaugurate a planetarium at the North Bengal Science Centre (NBSC) in Matigara here tomorrow, will also visit the Darjeeling district Congress office.

“His visit, especially after the recent change at the SMC (Trinamul’s expression of solidarity with the Congress), is definitely significant,” Shankar Malakar, the Darjeeling district Congress president, said today. “Although it is a short trip, and we doubt how much time he can spare for us, discussion will be held on certain internal issues of the party.”

Although Malakar refused to speak more, insiders said the Congress district leaders — who had asserted that they were ready to sacrifice even the mayor’s post to keep the alliance intact — are likely to seek Mukherjee’s advice on the redistribution of posts at the civic body with Trinamul.

“It is obvious that some of the posts at the SMC have to be shuffled to accommodate some Trinamul councillors. As the PCC chief will be here, leaders will surely ask for his opinion and suggestion so that no confusion is created when they meet Trinamul office-bearers next time to discuss the sharing of posts,” said an insider.

The digital planetarium is the first of its kind in north Bengal and eastern India. State urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya and NBU vice-chancellor Arunabha Basumajumdar will also be present at the inaugural programme.