Foes turn into friends: BJP joins hands with CPM, Congress to form boards in West Bengal Gram Panchayats

New Delhi, August 10, 2023: In a surprising move aimed at countering the dominance of the Trinamool Congress, political rivals from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPM], and Congress have set aside their ideological differences and united to form gram panchayat boards in several regions of West Bengal.

In a recent development, the BJP and CPM jointly established a gram panchayat board in Mahishadal, located in the East Midnapore district. The cooperative effort emerged after BJP and Trinamool Congress secured an equal number of seats (eight each) out of a total of 18, with CPM clinching two seats. Subhra Panda of BJP was elected as the pradhan (head), while CPM’s Paresh Panigrahi became the upa-pradhan (deputy head).

Tensions ran high in Amritberia due to the formation of the panchayat board, as Mahisadal’s Trinamool Congress MLA, Tilak Kumar Chakraborty, accused CPM of indirectly supporting BJP against their party.

Both the BJP and CPM refuted any behind-the-scenes understanding, emphasizing that their decision was driven by local circumstances. CPM panchayat member Bulu Prasad Jana explained, “The INDIA alliance is a decision of the party at the national level. But, I supported the BJP-led panchayat board to honor the sentiment of local people.”

BJP spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya further clarified that the ground-level dynamics differed from the broader state and national political context.

This unexpected collaboration underscores the evolving political landscape in West Bengal, with traditional rivals coming together based on local considerations. The move also raises questions about the fluid nature of political alliances and the strategic choices parties make to achieve their goals at different levels of governance.