REBELLION ENDS

Rebel Trinamul councillor revokes decision

The rebel Trinamul Congress councillor of Cooch Behar Municipality Mr Dilip Saha has revoked his earlier decision of resignation from the post of councillor. Today, he announced that he would stay as the councillor and abide by decisions of the party to continue his efforts to serve the citizens of his ward.

In the recent municipal election Trinamul Congress got six seats and the Congress got eight seats. In a bid to form the civic board the two parties joined hands. Mr Biren Kundu became the chairman once again but dispute aroused in Trinamul Congress over the post of vice-chairperson. Mr Dilip Saha of Ward No. 5 was elected in the previous election too. Naturally, according to seniority he claimed the post but the state leadership of the party recommended Mrs Amina Ahmed as the vice-chairperson as she is the sole minority woman councillor of the party in North Bengal. An offended Mr Saha announced that he would submit his resignation from the councillorship on the day of Mrs Ammed's oath taking. District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindranath Ghosh however said that he received no such letter from Mr Saha. He claimed that Mr Saha was absent on the oath-taking ceremony of the vice-chairperson due to personal reasons.

On Sunday evening, Mr Saha convened a meeting of the party's ward committee. On Monday, Mr Saha said the residents of his ward praised his activities as councillor during the past five years. They suggested him not to submit resignation and continue his work to improve the civic services. Honouring their wish he decided to stay as councillor, Mr Saha said. "I shall convey my decision to the district president today", he added.

Welcoming Mr Saha's stand, District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindranath Ghosh hoped that no one of the three Trinamul councillors would do anything against the party's decision, as no one was greater than the party. State Trinamul secretary Mr Abdul Jalil Ahmed too sighed relief over the development.