The ruling Trinamool Congress on Wednesday registered a landslide victory in the West Bengal civic body polls, winning 102 of the 108 municipalities, reported The Indian Express. Of the 102 municipalities, the Trinamool Congress has no opposition in 31 bodies.
Elections to the civic bodies were held on February 27.
Results showed that the Left Front won the Taherpur Municipality in Nadia district. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress failed to win any municipalities. They have, however, won a few wards, reported PTI.
The newly-formed Hamro Party won the Darjeeling Municipality. Led by Ajoy Edwards, a former member of the Gorkha National Liberation Front, Hamro Party won 18 of the 32 wards in the Darjeeling Municipality.
Edwards, however, faced defeat in Ward 22 he had contested, reported India Today.
Meanwhile, results indicated a hung municipal board in Beldanga, Champdani, Jhalda and Egra, with no party securing a clear majority.
The Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, and his family lost the Contai Municipality to the Trinamool Congress. The civic body is considered a stronghold of the Adhikaris.
After the victory, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee congratulated the winning candidates.
“Let victory enhance our responsibility and dedication,” she said in a tweet. “Let triumph impart humility. Let us together work for peace, prosperity and development of the state.”
Elections were originally scheduled to take place in 108 municipalities but the Trinamool Congress won the Dinhata Municipality in Coochbehar district uncontested before the polling was held.
The voting on February 27 was marked by multiple incidents of violence.
Clashes between supporters of the BJP and the Trinamool Congress were reported in Bhatpara Municipality. In Barrackpore, an Independent candidate was allegedly beaten up by Trinamool Congress workers.
In Rajpur-Sonarpur Municipality, electronic voting machines were damaged and the polling station was ransacked by unidentified goons.
In the Arambagh area of Hooghly district, candidates belonging to the Left Front were allegedly beaten up by members of the Trinamool Congress. The Trinamool Congress, however, denied the charges.
The BJP had condemned the violence and given a call for a 12-hour state-wide bandh on February 28. The bandh, however, evoked mixed response from the public.
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