Rajesh Mandal, the pradhan (head) of Arabinda panchayat in the Sadar block of Jalpaiguri district and a close associate of the absconding Trinamool Congress leader Krishna Das, resigned from his post on Friday amid allegations of corruption.
Mandal submitted his resignation letter to the BDO at the latter’s office. He will, however, continue to serve as a panchayat member.
Mandal said: “Everyone has accepted the election results. I am not in the right mental state to work and the surrounding circumstances are not normal. It doesn’t make sense to continue as the pradhan if you can’t function...I will continue as a panchayat member. I had also been feeling insecure, which is why I had stopped visiting the office.”
BJP leader Shankar Sarkar claimed that Mandal stepped down because of public anger.
He also alleged that a sum of ₹10 lakh sanctioned under the Amar Para, Amar Samadhan scheme was siphoned from the panchayat.
“Funds were collected twice from residents for a children’s park, but the park was never built. Also, 54 trees were cut for some work without permission. Even after resigning, he will have to answer these questions,” Sarkar said.
Some villagers and BJP supporters gathered outside Mandal’s home earlier in the day. They questioned his absence from the panchayat office, saying it had disrupted public services.
The protesters accused him of exercising unchecked influence over the panchayat during Trinamool’s regime, including demands for kickbacks in housing schemes and payments under job card-related works.
Munni Das, a resident, alleged that her job card had been withheld. “I live in a thatched house with my two sons. Even after attending Trinamool rallies, I never received a house under the housing scheme, while people with permanent houses got the benefits,” she claimed.
Police brought the situation under control. After Mandal announced that he would resign, the crowd dispersed.
Mandal said: “Nowadays, people say that every Trinamool leader is corrupt. Does that mean the previous government has done no work? Some people are making baseless allegations with political intentions.”