Bengal panchayat polls: TMC sweeps all but 2 hill dists; ISF impresses in stronghold

Initially, there was expectation that the Congress and CPI(M) alliance would do well in Murshidabad and Malda districts, especially given the Congress win from Sagardighi Assembly seat in Murshidabad in a bypoll in January this year. However, in initial trends, the TMC was ahead of the Opposition in both districts.

The Indian Secular Front (ISF), which is emerging as a force in Muslim pockets in Bengal, performed well in its stronghold of Bhangar. The ISF’s alliance with the CPI(M) and an anti-land acquisition committee was giving a neck-and-neck fight to the TMC in some blocks of Bhangar, which saw some of the worst violence in the polls.

By 10 pm Tuesday, with results trickling in slowly due to ballot box polling, the TMC had won 29,665 gram panchayat seats, of the total 63,229 that saw a contest. The BJP was a distant second with 8,021 seats, followed by the CPM at 2,472 and the Congress at 2,094.

Independent candidates had won 1,726 gram panchayat seats.

In terms of control of panchayats, the TMC was headed to win 2,302 of the total 3,317, the BJP 239, the Congress 57 and the Left Front 62. Other parties, including Independents, were leading in 21 gram panchayats across the state, while 176 gram panchayats got hung results.

In the ISF’s stronghold, of Bhangar-II block’s 10 gram panchayats with 218 seats, the TMC won 86 uncontested. Of the 132 seats where there was polling, the TMC won 63, while the CPI(M)-ISF-Jomi Jibika Bastutantra o Poribesh Rokkha Committee won 68 (the CPM 7, ISF 43 and Jomi Jibika 18). The alliance also won one of the gram panchayats.

Jomi Jibika leader Mirza Hakim said, “The results show that Bhangar rejected the TMC. They forcefully stopped us from filing nominations in 86 seats.”

ISF leader Naushad Siddiqui said, “The TMC knew that if there was really a democratic election, they would lose. So, they unleashed unlimited terror after the nomination period began. Wherever the Opposition was able to fight back, they did well.”

In panchayat samitis, the TMC had won 2,155 of 9,740 seats by 10 pm. The BJP had won 214 panchayat samitis while the Left Front had got 47, and the Congress 38. Independent candidates won 58 seats, with results for some still being counted.

The @BJP4India seems to be struggling to find solid ground. Their aimless attacks without evidence are truly remarkable! It’s not surprising, though. Their deep-seated fear of rejection has them grasping at straws.

The people of Bengal have spoken loud and clear, shutting the… https://t.co/gS89mPMINm

— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) July 11, 2023

Among panchayat samitis, the TMC had won 129 of the total 341 across the state by 10 pm. The BJP had won 9 and the Left Front 3.

In zilla parishad seats too, the TMC was ahead, winning 77 of the total 928 by 6 pm. The BJP was leading in 10 seats, and the CPI(M) in 5. Results for the rest were yet to arrive.

In the panchayat elections held in the hill districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, falling under the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA), Anit Thapa’s Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), an ally of the TMC, took the initial lead.

But against the BGPM’s win in 33 of the 70 gram panchayats till reports last came in, the TMC was yet to open its account. The alliance together controls the GTA.

Hill politics has been in turmoil since three of its big leaders, Bimal Gurung, Binay Gurung and Ajay Edwards, fought the GTA panchayat elections together under a ‘United Gorkha Alliance’, supported by the BJP.

The election was held on July 8 in over 61,000 booths, with a voter turnout of 80.71 per cent. In the violence during polling, at least 21 people were killed.

West Bengal has 3,317 gram panchayats with 63,229 seats, 341 panchayat samitis with 9,730 seats, and 20 zilla parishads with 928 seats.

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee thanked the people of West Bengal for support to the party. “Even a malicious campaign with baseless propaganda to malign the State Govt in WB couldn’t sway the voters,” he said in a tweet.

Leader of Opposition in Suvendu Adhikari said the vote had been “looted” by the TMC. Had the election been held in “a free and fair manner”, the BJP MLA claimed, the TMC would not have won more than 20,000 panchayat seats.

Adhikari added that the result hadn’t come as a surprise given the violence. “Our Central leaders are not bothered because it was clear from the beginning that the TMC will win. They indulged in rampant electoral malpractices and unleashed a reign of terror,” he said.

The BJP also highlighted a statement by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who tweeted on Tuesday: “Yesterday, 133 individuals who feared for their lives due to violence in the panchayat election in West Bengal sought refuge in Dhubri District of Assam. We have provided them with shelter.”