Bibhuti Ghosh was sworn in as the chairman of the Trinamool Congress-run Old Malda municipality on Wednesday, but the change of guard was marked by visible dissent from his predecessor, Kartik Ghosh, who alleged that the leadership had made him a “scapegoat” despite his sacrifices for the party.
Kartik, the former chairman and the current councillor of ward 9, expressed his dissatisfaction with his removal shortly after the oath-taking ceremony and left the municipal conference hall.
“I have always stood by the party during trying times, but I feel the state Trinamool leadership has made me a scapegoat,” said Kartik.
The oath-taking ceremony was held in the conference room of the municipal headquarters in the presence of Suman Majumdar, the subdivisional officer of Malda Sadar subdivision.
Bibhuti, the councillor of ward 12, took the oath as chairman, while Shafiqul Islam was sworn in as vice-chairman.
Trinamool supporters celebrated Bibhuti’s ascension to the position by bursting firecrackers and smearing aabir (coloured powder) on one another.
The state Trinamool leadership issued an order on November 25 removing Kartik from the post of the chairman. Since then, resentment has been brewing in a section of his supporters.
“This is the fourth time I have been entrusted with the responsibility of chairman. I will continue to work with the same commitment with which the party has honoured me. Development of all wards of the municipality will remain our priority, and we must work together,” Ghosh said.
Reiterating his displeasure, Kartik said: “The municipality had been lagging in providing civic services for a long time. During my tenure, I implemented as many development projects as possible.”
He said Trinamool had suffered a crushing defeat in several constituencies in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
“The Englishbazar municipal area was no exception. Even in the last Lok Sabha elections, results were poor in the Assembly segments of minister Sabina Yasmin and the party’s district president Abdur Rahim Bakshi,” Kartik said.
“Yet, I was made a scapegoat. Still, I accepted the decision as it was taken by our party supremo and chief minister Mamata Banerjee,” he added.
Responding to Kartik’s remarks, Trinamool’s district president and MLA Abdur Rahim Bakshi said: “Bibhuti Ghosh has been appointed chairman with the consensus and support of all. There is no infighting in the party. He has taken charge strictly on the instructions of the state Trinamool leadership.”