West Bengal civic polls: TMC makes a clean sweep, wins 102 municipalities out of 108

There was no opposition in 33 of the 102 civic bodies won by the TMC.

While the Left Front secured its only win in Nadia district, taking control of Taherpur municipality, the BJP, which had emerged as the main Opposition party in West Bengal after winning 77 seats in the state Assembly polls last year, failed to open its account. The Congress, too, failed to win a single seat.

However, pulling off the biggest surprise on counting day, the newly-formed Humro Party won the Darjeeling Municipality.

Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee congratulated the people for giving her party such a huge mandate. “Heart-felt gratitude to Ma-Mati-Manush for according yet another overwhelming mandate to us. Congratulations to the winning candidates of All India Trinamool Congress in the Municipal Elections. Let victory enhance our responsibility and dedication. Let triumph impart humility. Let us together work for peace, prosperity and development of the state. Jai Bangla!” Banerjee said in a tweet.

Speaking to reporters before leaving for Uttar Pradesh, Banerjee said, “The people of Bengal have inspired us and blessed us with this mandate. From the hills of North Bengal to Jangalmahal, people have voted for us. We have even won in places like Joynagar where we had never won before. This will encourage us to work for the people with humility. We will stand by the people and address their issues.”

Of the total 2,171 wards in 108 municipalities, the Trinamool won 1,866. Surprisingly, Independent candidates won the second most number of wards at 119, followed by the BJP with 63 wards, Congress with 59 wards and the Left with 57.

In terms of vote share, the Trinamool received 63 per cent of votes, while the Left and the BJP got 14 and 13 per cent votes respectively. The Congress bagged 5 per cent votes while others received another 5 per cent.

Four municipalities — Beldanga in Murshidabad district, Champdani in Hooghy district, Jhalda in Purulia district and Egra in East Midnapore district — threw up hung verdicts. However, the Trinamool retained the Contai municipality in East Midnapore district, overcoming the challenge from former leader and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Suvendu Adhikari.

Also, for the first time, the Trinamool won the Joynagar municipality in South 24 Parganas district and Berhampore Municipality in Murshidabad district.

Around 77 per cent of the total voters on Sunday turned up to exercise their franchise in the civic polls. However, the polling was marred by allegations of widespread violence. Throughout the day, reports of intimidation, allegedly by Trinamool workers and electoral malpractices, emerged from various parts of the state.

However, the West Bengal chief minister claimed that there was trouble in only seven-eight polling booths while some news channels blew the reports out of proportion.

BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya, meanwhile, claimed that “widespread violence” during polling is the reason why the saffron camp fared poorly.

“Our candidates and workers were subjected to organised violence by the ruling TMC. Had it not been for this violence, we could have put up a better resistance against the TMC. This election result will not have any impact on our organisational strength. We remain undiminished in the political arena of West Bengal,” Bhattacharya said.