Following the resignation of Cooch Behar Municipality Chairman Rabindranath Ghosh, speculation has intensified over who will succeed him. His exit has triggered renewed internal discussions within the Trinamool Congress over the next appointment.
Early front-runner and changing political equations
Earlier, after district Trinamool Congress president Abhijit De Bhowmik (Hippie) wrote to Ghosh in November asking him to step down, Ward No. 5 councillor Dilip Saha was widely seen as the likely choice for the post. However, the situation has evolved since then. Ignoring the district president’s directive at the time, Ghosh continued to discharge his duties as chairman for several months.
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His eventual resignation, following instructions from Abhishek Banerjee, has now set off the familiar round of lobbying within the ruling party. With circumstances having changed, multiple contenders have emerged, and political observers believe the process could pose challenges for the Trinamool Congress ahead of the Assembly elections.
Of the municipality’s 20 wards, the Trinamool Congress holds 18. Dilip Saha, the Ward No. 5 councillor and the party’s city block president, remains a leading contender, as his name had been doing the rounds earlier. However, he declined to comment on the matter.
Multiple names in contention, party under pressure
Ward No. 4 councillor Bhushan Singh, who has previously handled the responsibilities of the municipality chairman, is also being considered. Ward No. 2 councillor Ujjwal, a senior councillor, is another name in the reckoning. According to Trinamool sources, Ward No. 1 councillor Chandana Mohanta and municipality Vice Chairman Amina Ahmed are also among those being discussed. Responding to the speculation, both Ujjwal and Bhushan said they would abide by whatever decision the party takes.
Vice Chairman Amina Ahmed said the subdivisional magistrate has informed the municipality about the chairman’s resignation. She added that with a government holiday in place until Monday, a Board of Councillors meeting will be convened after the municipality reopens on Tuesday, when a decision on the next course of action is expected.
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In the Cooch Behar municipality area, the Trinamool Congress trailed by over 20,000 votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Coupled with ongoing tensions between the municipality and local traders, the ruling party remains under pressure. As a result, party insiders believe that whoever assumes the chair vacated by Ghosh is likely to face a challenging tenure.
