21 TMC members resign in Cooch Behar over housing scheme discrepancy

In a major political development in Cooch Behar, 21 members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from the Suktabari Panchayat have resigned over the exclusion of storm-affected families from the housing scheme list. The resignations came after a public list of beneficiaries under the housing scheme failed to include the names of victims whose homes were destroyed during a severe storm in 2022. The affected families had been promised inclusion in the scheme by local TMC leaders.

The storm, which devastated large parts of Suktabari in 2022, left numerous families homeless. In the aftermath, TMC members had assured the residents that they would be included in the housing scheme. However, when the list was published, none of the storm victims were listed as beneficiaries. This exclusion led to widespread discontent among local leaders and Panchayat members, who had initially supported the government’s initiative to help the affected families.

The housing scheme in question consists of the Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme and the West Bengal State Housing Scheme. According to sources, a total of 750 beneficiaries were included under the Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme for the region. Meanwhile, the Bengal government’s housing scheme, which is separate from the national scheme, only listed 440 names. The discrepancy in the number of beneficiaries across the two schemes has caused dissatisfaction, with Panchayat members accusing the leadership of neglecting eligible storm victims.

The resigning members from Suktabari Panchayat, who are part of the TMC, have sent their resignation letters to the district president. In the letters, they cited the failure of the leadership to include storm victims in the housing scheme and expressed their frustration with the oversight. Despite their resignations, the members have stated that they will continue their political activities independently and have not made any formal announcements regarding joining opposition parties. Their decision to remain neutral has raised questions about the future course of action in the region.

TMC district president Abhijit De Bhowmik responded to the resignations, stating that he had not yet received any resignation letters from the members. He further clarified that if resignation letters were submitted, they would not be accepted. The political implications of these resignations are yet to unfold, but the situation has created a rift within the party. The controversy surrounding the housing scheme’s beneficiary list and the resignations of these Panchayat members has put the TMC under increasing pressure in Cooch Behar.