Ahead of the Mamata Banerjee Cabinet rejig, the party leadership has reshuffled leadership in its organisational districts across the state, but interestingly, the leadership in the three organisational districts of Siliguri, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri has been retained.

Speculations on the new leadership for Siliguri were rife, despite the party’s success in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) and the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad (SMP) elections under the leadership of Papiya Ghosh, who is the party’s president for Siliguri.

Interestingly, the Trinamool Congress state leadership has finally endorsed the “tin kanya” (three women)–Papiya Ghosh for Siliguri, Shanta Chhetri for Darjeeling Hills and Mahua Gope for Jalpaiguri.

It may be noted here that a section of party insiders was against the trio on different issues, including the alleged recruitment scam in schools, allegedly as they kept their vested interests in mind.

“Though the party came to power in the SMC and managed to win the SMP for the first time under the leadership of Papiya Ghosh, it was widely speculated that the TMC would replace Ms Ghosh with some other leader, as she had allegedly failed to raise funds on the demand made by the party from this region,” a source said today.

According to party insiders as well as political observers, the party “changed its decision” after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested former education minister and industry minister Partha Chatterjee and his confidant Arpita Mukherjee, and recovered “black money” worth Rs 50 crore from her apartments.

“Ahead of the rural elections scheduled to be held in 2023, the party has decided not to change the district leadership in northern North Bengal, except for Cooch Behar. The team of Abhishek Banerjee will work in this region.

Changes have been made in Cooch Behar tactically,” a party insider said, just before attending a party meeting in Kolkata today convened by the party’s nation general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

When the TMC announced retention of Papiya Ghosh as the president of the Siliguri organisational district today, Trinamool Councillor elected from ward 20 in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, Abhaya Bose, said in her social media handle, “You are an angel. I salute your strength, courage and hardship. Congratulations.”

According to Siliguri organisational district chairman Aloke Chakravorty, they were grateful as the party had kept faith in them.

“We will follow the instructions of the party,” Mr Chakravorty said.
Sources said that Abhishek Banerjee, in the meeting, spoke about strengthening the party organisation in the districts and that a full-fledged district committee will be constituted soon.

Notably, the Trinamool has nominated Avijit De Sarkar as the president of Cooch Beher district. Mr Sarkar replaces Partha Pratim Roy. The party has inducted Girendranath Barman as the chairman there. Interestingly, MLA from Dinhata, Udayan Guho, has been relieved from his party organisational job, apparently.

A section of Trinamool Congress activists are, meanwhile, worried about speculations that Udayan Guho would be inducted in the Mamata Banerjee Cabinet as replacement for Paresh Adhikari, the minister of state for Education Department, from Cooch Behar.

Politically, a section of TMC leaders are arguing that it would be a blunder for the ruling party if Mr Adhikari is replaced by Mr Guho.

“Mr Adhikari is the face of the Rajbanshi community in North Bengal, despite allegations against him for managing a fake appointment letter for his daughter as assistant teacher. Following the court order, his daughter has been sacked from service,” a source said.

Several attempts made to contact Papiya Ghosh for comment went in vain today.