The Trinamul Congress-led Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) marks three years under mayor Goutam Deb’s leadership tomorrow. To commemorate the occasion, the SMC has organised a cultural programme at Dinabandhu Mancha, with renowned Bengali singer Subhamita Banerjee as the guest artist.
This milestone is particularly significant as Trinamul secured a majority in the SMC for the first time in 2022, ending years of Left dominance. Although the Left was initially dislodged in 2009 when the Congress and Trinamul allied, the Congress later formed the board with Left support, making Gangotri Datta the Mayor. Even after Trinamul came to power in Bengal in 2011, the Left-Congress alliance continued to control the SMC until 2023, with Asok Bhattacharya serving as mayor in 2015.
To mark the occasion, the SMC will release a three-year report card tomorrow, along with a documentary highlighting its achievements. Mayor Deb has also felicitated several Siliguri residents, including meritorious students and top-ranking candidates in national exams like the UPSC.
In the run-up to the anniversary, mayor Deb attended multiple events, including International Mother Language Day, and held meetings with the Mayor-in-Council and officials to discuss a draft notification on expanding the eco-sensitive zone of the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary. The celebrations underscore the SMC’s efforts and progress under the current administration.