The civic body had turned hung with the TMC and the Congress winning five wards each. Even as Congress councillors took to the streets and stormed the Jhalda Municipality office in Purulia district to protest against the death of party colleague Tapan Kandu, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday formed the civic board with the help of two independent candidates who won from their wards in the February elections.
The development comes a day after the Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI inquiry into the death of Kandu who was shot dead on March 13.
The civic body had turned hung with the TMC and the Congress winning five wards each.
But on Tuesday, the two independent councillors extended their support to the state’s ruling party to help it form the civic board. Suresh Agarwal of the TMC was elected the board chairman.
Also, the Congress councillors, who boycotted the board formation event, staged a protest to mark their protest against Kandu’s death. They even stormed the civic body office and ransacked several rooms.
Women workers broke barricades and clashed with the police. Purnima Kandu, Congress councillor and wife of Kandu, also participated in the protest. “I want justice for my late husband. The TMC hatched a conspiracy to kill him and form the board. We will continue to protest,” said Purnima.
The Congress called a 12-hour bandh in Jhalda on Wednesday to protest against the formation of the civic board.
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