Siliguri, July 05 (Siliguri Chronicle) – The CPM staged a sit-in protest outside the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) headquarters on Friday, accusing the Trinamool Congress-led board of administrative failure and neglecting public trust.
Party leaders and supporters began their march from the CPM’s district office, Anil Biswas Bhavan, and moved through Hill Cart Road, Hashmi Chowk, and Kachari Road before reaching the SMC gates, where they held the demonstration.
CPM leaders, including former Siliguri mayor Asok Bhattacharya, district secretary Saman Pathak, Jibesh Sarkar, and Mukul Sengupta, joined the rally, which also saw participation from Left-backed SMC councillors.
The protest is being viewed as an effort by the CPM to rebuild its connect with the urban electorate in the region, with an eye on the 2026 Assembly elections.
Once a stronghold of the Left, Siliguri has shifted its political allegiance in recent elections, with support swinging towards the Trinamool Congress and the BJP.
“Before the last municipal election, Trinamool made grand promises for improved drinking water, better roads, functioning drainage but three years later, citizens continue to suffer,” said Saman Pathak. “Despite ruling both the state and the civic body, Trinamool failed to deliver basic services.”
The protest is part of a two-month-long campaign by the CPM across all 47 wards of the SMC, during which party workers aim to raise awareness about a 13-point charter outlining unresolved civic issues.
The CPM has decided not to submit any memorandum to the mayor or SMC officials this time. “We had handed over memoranda before. We raised issues at the board, but nothing has changed. Today’s protest is the result of cumulative public frustration,” Pathak added.
Ranjan Sarkar, the deputy mayor, dismissed the CPM’s protest as politically motivated. “The Left ruled this city for decades, yet failed to bring about any major development. In just three years, we have rolled out multiple infrastructure projects from a mega drinking water scheme to underground cable laying and road upgrade,” he said.
