Kolkata: Ahead of BJP president Amit Shah's visit to the city, the saffron party has lost control of the Garulia municipality in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas ndistrict, after its chairman Sunil Singh resigned from his post, paving way for the TMC to regain control of the civic body. Sunil Singh, the brother-in-law of BJP MP Arjun Singh, had switched over to the saffron party a few months ago. However, he resigned from the post of the municipality chairman on Monday evening ahead of a floor test that wasscheduled this week.

"We have the support of only seven councillors, while TMC has 13 councillors in its camp. So, I have decided to tender my resignation," Singh told reporters. With Sunil Singh's switch over to the BJP in June this year, the saffron party had taken control of the 21-member municipality. Along with Singh, 11 other councillors had joined then BJP. But within a few days of their joining, four of the 11 turncoat councillors returned to the TMC, bringing down the strength of the saffron party to seven.