At the monthly board meeting of the Trinamool-run Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) on Wednesday, a member, mayor-in-council (MMIC), who is also a Trinamool councillor, got into a heated argument with the chairman, the mayor and the deputy mayor over a civic board drive to demolish illegal constructions.

Dilip Barman, the MMIC and ward 46 councillor, was seen fuming at the trio and hurling questions at them, much to the surprise of other Trinamool councillors.

Eventually, he was asked to leave the meeting, and Barman immediately walked out, reportedly articulating his grievances to the board.

It all started when Barman, who is in charge of three departments — sports, trade license and housing for all — questioned why a drive taken up to dismantle the illegal portion of a building in the ward was withdrawn.

“I want to know why the drive (to dismantle the illegal portion) was withdrawn. Without informing me, the local councillor, who instructed the staff of the SMC to return,” he said.

Such a blatant charge at the ruling dispensation of the SMC, particularly because he too is from Trinamool, left his party councillors in an awkward position.

Chairman Pratul Chakraborty was quick to react and said he could not raise the issue at this meeting.

Barman, however, went on pressing point. “If this (the monthly board meeting) is not the right place, where should I raise the issue?” he asked.

Some of the Trinamool councillors asked him to stop and take his chair. Even Trinamool veteran and mayor Gautam Deb said it was not appropriate for him to flag the issue there.

Barman did not listen to them.

Finally, deputy mayor Ranjan Sarkar told Barman that he was going to the extremes. A quarrel ensued, and both Sarkar and Chakraborty asked Barman to leave.

Barman left the hall, reportedly grumbling.

“On one hand, the dismantling work of a building stopped without my notice. On the other hand, nothing has been done to shift the cattle sheds from my locality. As I raised these issues, the mayor, chairman, and the deputy mayor humiliated me,” Barman later told reporters.

He said that in 2022, he had won the civic polls with a margin of over 5,500 votes. Considering his popularity, the state leadership had recommended that he be given three important departments.

“I was humiliated… I will see how they deter development in my ward,” Barman said.

After the meeting, mayor Deb reacted to the issue.

“As far as the issues he mentioned are concerned, we are acting according to the court's directive. The chairman conducts the meeting, and whatever decision he made was his prerogative. I do not have any comment,” said Deb.

Sarkar said they would report Barman’s conduct to the Trinamool leadership. “It was an undesirable act. We will take it up at the appropriate party forum,” he said.

BJP councillors reacted to the incident.

“Differences among Trinamool councillors, which led to today's argument, hint that some are dissatisfied with the board’s performance. If they indulge in infighting, how will they work for the city?” asked Amit Jain, BJP councillor and leader of the Opposition in the civic body.