Siliguri mayor’s outreach leads to row between TMC-BJP
The Statesman | 27 April 2026
Even before the dust has settled on polling day, political tempers in North Bengal are refusing to cool ~ spilling over into administrative decisions, public outreach programmes, and even questions over the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
In Siliguri, a direct political face-off between Trinamul Congress candidate and Mayor Goutam Deb and BJP contender Sankar Ghosh has taken an unusual turn, with governance itself becoming a contested space. Deb, who had to suspend his weekly “Talk to Mayor” programme from the Siliguri Municipal Corporation following objections raised by Ghosh during the election period, has now improvised ~ shifting the initiative to his residence under a new name, “Talk to Gautam.”
The move, however, has exposed the limitations of operating outside official infrastructure. On Saturday, during the fifth edition of the home-based programme, Deb received numerous calls from residents and listened to civic grievances, but admitted to facing multiple technical and logistical challenges in the absence of the corporation’s facilities.
Earlier, acting on a complaint lodged by Ghosh citing violation of the MCC, the poll authorities had directed that the original “Talk to Mayor” programme be halted. Determined to maintain public connect, Deb resumed the initiative in a modified format from his home.
With polling concluded on 23 April, the mayor has now urged his political rival to withdraw the objection, arguing that resuming the programme from the Corporation office would significantly benefit citizens. “If the Election Commission permits, we can restart the programme from the municipal building, which is far more convenient for the public,” Deb said through the media.
Responding to the appeal, Sankar Ghosh maintained a procedural stance, stating that he would convey the matter to the Election Commission if approached formally in writing. “The final decision rests with the Commission,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Malda, a seemingly routine civic development has raised eyebrows in the context of the ongoing MCC. Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury, chairman of the English Bazar Municipality and a former TMC MLA from the constituency, inaugurated a modern drinking water testing laboratory on Saturday near the English Bazar police station.
Municipal officials said the laboratory fills a long-standing gap, as Malda town previously lacked any facility for testing water quality. As a result, residents often consumed water without proper verification. The newly inaugurated lab will conduct regular testing of water from municipal reservoirs and supply systems, while also allowing residents to test household water at minimal cost.