Many members of Murshidabad zilla parishad join Trinamool Congress

Kolkata: In a setback for West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury at his "stronghold" Murshidabad district, several members of the zilla parishad there, which is controlled by his party, today joined Trinamool Congress.

Asserting that by end of this year there would be "no sign" of Congress in Murshidabad district, which Chowdhury claimed to be his "stronghold", TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari today claimed that within the next few months his party would take control of Murshidabad and Malda zilla parishads.

"Eight zilla parishad members of Congress, one of CPI(M) and one of AIFB today joined TMC. With this the number of TMC zilla parishad members went up to 29. The strength of Murshidabad zilla parishad is 70. So if a few more members join TMC, we will take effective control of the zilla parishad," Adhikari said.

Earlier this week Trinamool had taken effective control of Beldanga municipality of Murshidabad district. Sometime back TMC had taken over two opposition-controlled municipal bodies - one in Murshidabad district and the other in Purulia district.