Ranjit quits, Vijendra to take charge today as Susmita’s deputy

Silchar, July 5: Ranjit Roy, the senior most Ward Commissioner today submitted his resignation from the post of Silchar Municipality Board vicechairman to avoid the no-confidence motion moved against him by 17 party commissioners.
Roy, who successfully led the 'coup' against chairperson Susmita Dev and her then deputy Vijendra Prasad Singh exactly one year ago, as seven Congress Commissioners supported the no-confidence motion against the former, today handed over his resignation letter in an unceremonious manner and made a silent exit from his well-decorated chamber.
Later Ranjit Roy said he would work as the district general secretary of the district Congress and would spend the period with his grandchildren.
Mridul Saha, the Ward Commissioner, known to be a trusted lieutenant of Roy during the anti-Susmita drive, said, Ranjit Roy used to misbehave with the Commissioners. He however claimed that they had not moved any no-confidence against Ranjit, rather they had lodged a complaint against him with the chairperson. The Congress Municipality team was scheduled to meet on Tuesday night and would elect Singh as the vice chairman. Singh would assume the charge formally tomorrow.
Earlier, Ranjit Roy made abortive attempts to save his chair as he met Excise Minister Ajit Singh. Ranjit, who lobbied for Dinesh Prasad Goala's ministerial berth, was advised by Singh to quit. Even the former Minister Goala could not come to his rescue.
Ranjit Roy was in the municipality politics since the 1970s when Susmita's father Sontosh Mohan Dev was the chairman. Ranjit was a Ward Commissioner when Susmita's mother Bithika Dev was the chairperson.
But, allegedly, last year Ranjit, instructed by some powerful ministers, took the lead role in pullingdown Susmita from the post of chairperson. But later in a compromise formula, Susmita was once again made the chairperson and Ranjit the vice chairperson. Sources said, Susmita had promised Vijendra that once she won the Assembly election, she would bring him back in the chair of vice chairman. And she did. (SentinelAssam)