The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has officially taken over the Zilla Parishad in East Midnapore district, West Bengal, which is the hometown of Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. This is the first time the BJP has assumed control of a Zilla Parishad since the three-tier panchayat system was introduced in the state.
Local BJP leader Bamdeb Guchait, who is an elected Zilla Parishad member, has become the new president of the East Midnapore Zilla Parishad. The previous Trinamool Congress-controlled Parishad was dissolved after its president, Uttam Barik, resigned, following which vice-president Suhasini Kar also stepped down, leading to the dissolution of the Parishad.
The East Midnapore Zilla Parishad, which has 70 seats, was previously dominated by the Trinamool Congress with 56 seats, while the BJP held 14 seats, with two members passing away later. At a recent general meeting, Bamdeb Guchait and Jaydev Midya were elected president and assistant president, respectively, in the presence of 64 members.
Soumendu Adhikari, BJP Lok Sabha member and brother of Suvendu Adhikari, emphasized the collective transition of various levels of governance to BJP membership, expressing optimism for the development of the district and the state.
