Rajganj, 10th August: The formation of the Rajganj Kukurjan village panchayat board has sparked controversy as it was determined through a lottery system. In this unique scenario, the BJP secured the position of Pradhan, while the Trinamool Congress attained the role of Upa Pradhan.
With 21 constituencies in the Kukurjan Village Panchayat of Rajganj, the recent election resulted in a near-even split between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP, both securing 9 seats each. Additionally, CPI(M) secured 3 seats, intensifying curiosity about which party would dominate the Gram Panchayat.
Both the Trinamool and BJP parties meticulously strategized their efforts to establish the board. The Trinamool anticipated that due to their alliance with the CPI(M) in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, the CPI(M) would align with them to form a majority board. However, the CPI(M) leadership had previously stated their abstention from participating in the Kukurjan Gram Panchayat board formation, even within the said alliance.
The voting process commenced after a considerable delay, with Trinamool and BJP ending up in a tie. The lottery ultimately resulted in the election of Gopal Poddar from the BJP as the Pradhan and Heramba Roy from the Trinamool as the Upa Pradhan. Reflecting on the outcome, Nitai Mondal, the Rajganj Block BJP President, affirmed that the Pradhan position is held by a BJP candidate, while the Upa Pradhan role belongs to the Trinamool.
Arindam Banerjee, the Rajganj Block Trinamool Congress President, conveyed through a phone call that the seats won were the product of a complex three-tier state. The unique selection through a lottery has designated the BJP as the Pradhan and the Trinamool as the Upa Pradhan. He emphasized his commitment, as a public representative, to collaborate for the development of the region under the “Ma-Mati” government.