TMC supporters celebrate at Barasat Block 2 in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)West Bengal Panchayat Election Results Live Updates: Expressing displeasure over the State Election Commission’s report on the action taken to control the widespread violence during the panchayat election, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday ordered that the election results declared will be subject to final orders to be passed by the court in a batch of writ petitions.
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) won 34,901 gram panchayat seats out of the total 63,229 across West Bengal, showed the State Election Commission (SEC) website till 4.30 pm Wednesday. The BJP, with 9,719 seats, was a distant second. Among others, the Left Front clinched 3,083 seats, the Congress secured 2,542 while rest, including the independent candidates, won 2,896 seats, according to the SEC. In terms of the number of gram panchayats, the TMC won 2,634 out of the total 3,317. While the BJP emerged winner in 220 gram panchayats, the Left Front secured victory 41 and the Congress in five. The ISF failed to win any gram panchayat. Other parties, including, independent candidates, are leading in 214 gram panchayats. Interestingly, there was hung condition in 203 gram panchayats. The counting in the rest of the seats is still on. 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.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday expressed her grief over the loss of lives in the widespread violence during the panchayat polls. She also asserted that her government has given a free hand to the police to take action against the perpetrators of the violence. “I am saddened at the loss of lives in sporadic incidents of violence during panchayat elections… The polls were held in 71,000 booths, but incidents of violence took place in not more than 60 booths,” she was quoted as saying by PTI. Banerjee also appealed for peace and harmony in the aftermath of the polls.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday expressed her grief over the loss of lives in the widespread violence during the panchayat polls. She also asserted that her government has given a free hand to the police to take action against the perpetrators of the violence.
“I am saddened at the loss of lives in sporadic incidents of violence during panchayat elections... The polls were held in 71,000 booths, but incidents of violence took place in not more than 60 booths,” she was quoted as saying by PTI.
The chief minister claimed that 19 people, mostly from her TMC, died in poll-related violence since the election date was announced on June 8. Police sources, however, have put the number of fatalities at 37.
Banerjee also appealed for peace and harmony in the aftermath of the polls.
Trinamool Congress's second-in-command Abhishek Banerjee, meanwhile, said that the “roaring mandate” would pave the way for the party’s performance in the next year’s Lok Sabha elections. Thanking the people of West Bengal for voting for his party in the three-tier panchayat elections, he in a dig at the main Opposition party, the BJP, said the campaign of “No Vote to Mamata” has turned into “Now Vote for Mamata”.
Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad Wednesday criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for letting loose a reign of terror during the rural polls and wondered why the central leadership of the Congress and the Left are silent on it.
A four-member BJP fact-finding team to West Bengal, led by the former Union minister, said the state unit's demand for implementing Article 355 is "justifiable".
"We had immense respect for Mamataji when she defeated the 34-year-old Left regime in the state. Today, I want to gently remind Mamataji about her evolution in Bengal and national politics. She was a fighter. But unfortunately, her government has crossed even the records of the Left regarding misrule, anarchy and lawlessness in the state," he said.
The BJP leader told reporters, "Her (Mamata Banerjee) politics is now full of atrocities, which was not evident even during the Left rule." "Why are so many people being killed? Why so much violence across the state? Is this not the responsibility of the state administration to ensure free and fair polls? This was once the scenario of Bihar, but the state, too, has moved ahead. Mamata Banerjee has shamed democracy in Bengal," he said. (PTI)
The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday dismissed petitions seeking declaration of the 2023 West Bengal panchayat election as void because of non-compliance of basic principles of the Constitution and the statute to ensure free and fair polls, news agency PTI reported.
The court also rejected a prayer for removal of the state election commissioner, holding that such a prayer is not maintainable as it is an independent constitutional body.
Two petitions seeking similar reliefs were dismissed by the bench that also comprised Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya. The bench held that the issues raised in the petitions have been settled in an earlier matter by the high court and the decision was upheld by the Supreme Court.
West Bengal BJP leader Rahul Sinha says, "This was 'loot ka vote' and not 'janata ka vote'. Had this been people's vote, the result would have been different. We don't accept this vote. They looted the entire Bengal...I don't accept this victory of TMC...By sending a fact-finding team (of BJP) this soon, our national president has proven that the party stand with the people of the state."
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, who is heading the party’s fact-finding committee to look into the West Bengal panchayat poll violence, on Wednesday hit out the Opposition for their ‘silence’ over the deaths.
“Why should more than 40 people lose their lives in the gram panchayat election? Why the so-called colleagues who are trying to forge an alliance against Narendra Modi are maintaining a conspicuous silence? We will visit and submit our report to the President. I hope the Mamata government will allow us to visit the affected areas,” the former Union minister added. Read more
In terms of seats in Panchayat Samiti, the Trinamool Congress has won 5,898 seats out of total 9,740 seats. BJP won 706 seats while Left Front won 142 seats. The Congress won 143 PS seats. Other parties, including independent candidates, won 265 seats. Counting is still on for rest of the PS seats.
In terms of number of Panchayat Samitis, the TMC won 242 Panchayat Samitis out of the total 341 across the state. The BJP won 8 panchayat samitis while the Left Front won 1 panchayat samiti. Other parties, including independent candidates, have won 5 PS while there ia hung condition in 4 Panchayat Samitis.
In terms of number of Zilla Parishad seats, the TMC has won 208 Zilla Parishad seats out total 928 seats. The BJP won only 4 seats. Results for the rest of seats are yet to arrive as the counting is still on. In terms of number of Zilla Parishads, the TMC has won 12 ZPs out to total 20.
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.
During the counting of zila parishad seat of Bhangar-II block, two persons were killed in a clash between the ISF supporters and the police. A police officer and his bodyguard were also injured. However, the ISF claimed their four supporters died.
Violence rocked Bhangar right from the nomination period of the elections. Three people were killed during that time. However, Bhangar saw a peaceful counting day.
It was in the night when the counting of a zila parishad seat started, ISF supporters allegedly surrounded Kanthalia High School building -- a counting centre in Bhangar. ISF claimed their candidate won the seat but the TMC and the administration said, they lost. ISF supporters then demanded recounting but the administration refused. Following this ISF supporters allegedly came to the Kanthalia counting centre and started pelting crude bombs. They also allegedly shot at the policemen posted there. Two ISF supporters died in the clash.
HighlightsDeleteEdit
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) won 42,097 gram panchayat seats out of the total 63,229 across West Bengal, showed the State Election Commission (SEC) website till 6 am Wednesday. The BJP, with 9,223 seats, was a distant second. Among others, the Left Front clinched 3,021 seats, the Congress secured 2,430 while rest, including the independent candidates, won 2,866 seats, according to the SEC.
In terms of the number of gram panchayats, the TMC won 2,562 out of the total 3,317. While the BJP emerged winner in 212 gram panchayats, the Left Front secured victory 42, the Congress in 17 and the ISF in 8. Other parties, including, independent candidates, are leading in 83 gram panchayats. Interestingly, there was hung condition in 263 gram panchayats. The counting in the rest of the seats is still on.
The wave of violence and mayhem which swept through West Bengal during the panchayat polls, marked by killings and electoral malpractices, remained in focus in the news and opinion pages of the Urdu dailies, which sought to decode the deeply-ingrained elements of fear and intimidation in the political culture of the state. They also covered the upheaval in the NCP, examining its ramifications for state as well as national politics. The issue that dominated the Urdu Press, however, was the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), as the dailies tracked every development on this major unfolding story. Read more
Meanwhile, reacting to Abhishek Banerjee's tweet thanking people for their mandate in Panchayat polls, BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta said the TMC leader thanked the wrong people. "I think Abhishek Banerjee is thanking the wrong people. He should be thanking the State Election Commissioner, State Police, and Administration which put their entire weight into ensuring that the TMC won resoundingly in these Panchayat elections by means which were at best, half irregular and at worst, completely irregular," he said.
West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury remarked that the elections in the state have "already been reduced to a farce" and pointed out that the post-poll violence will be unleashed after the counting. "...I must say that election has already been reduced to a farce, macabre dancing of the mockery of democracy was witnessed by all...It was well anticipated. According to our apprehension, violence, nexus between ruling party, Police, Election Commission - threatening and intimidation, unprecedented scale of violence has been unleased resulting in the death of more than 40 persons. After the counting, post-poll violence will be unleashed..."
After the bitterly fought West Bengal panchayat elections marked by violence, the results on Tuesday showed the ruling Trinamool Congress sweeping the three-tier elections in every district, except Darjeeling and Kalimpong.
The BJP, which is now established as the main Opposition party in the state, was at the second position, with the Left-Congress alliance behind it at third.
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. Read more
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday thanked the people of rural West Bengal for voting for his party in the three-tier panchayat elections.
In what appears to be an apparent dig at leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP, Banerjee said the campaign of 'No Vote to Mamata' has turned into 'Now Vote for Mamata'.
'Grateful to the people for converting Oppn's 'NO VOTE TO MAMATA' campaign to 'NOW VOTE FOR MAMATA.' With unwavering support to #TrinamooleNaboJowar, we'll surely have a roaring mandate, paving the way for LS elections. Bengal, I thank you for all the love,' Banerjee tweeted.
The violence that plagued the Bengal panchayat polls continued on counting day – from crude bombs going off to clashes taking place.
In an incident, a Trinamool Congress candidate's child was injured in a bomb blast. The injured was identified as Rudraprasad Ghosh, son of Bangaon panchayat samiti candidate Prasenjit Ghosh and Chaikghariya gram panchayat candidate Uma Ghosh.
The TMC blamed BJP and CPM for the incident – a charge both denied. Biswajit Das, the district president of Bangaon TMC, said, “CPM and BJP were trying to spread terror in front of the counting centre. More than four bombs exploded. They know they don't have public support, so they do all this.”
Bangaon BJP district organisational committee general secretary Devdas Mondal retorted: 'Trinamool is rioting... They dropped two bombs in succession to prevent our workers from going inside the counting centre. Certificates of winning candidates are being confiscated. There is no existence of democracy in the state.'
Taking note of the violent attacks, Governor CV Ananda Bose said, “political parties should realise elections are not grounds to examine one's physical strength”. He said Bengal had two enemies – corruption and violence.
“I congratulate all those who participated. In a democratic election, there are no winners or losers, there are only winners and winnables. Now is the time for introspection. Democratic elections are friendly contests that shouldn't generate hatred or violence,” he said.
"Strict action will be taken against those who sit in the political control room and incite violence by remote controlling goons on the field,” he said.
TMC - 18,590
BJP - 4,479
CPI(M) - 1,426
Congress - 1,071
Independent - 1,062
(Source: State Election Commission)
Anit Thapa’s party Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) on Tuesday secured initial lead in two-tier panchayat elections of Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA). BGPM is now in power of GTA with support of TMC.
As per the initial trends, it is seen that TMC is yet to open its account. On the other hand, their coalition partner has already managed to secure 33 out of 70 gram panchayats.
BGPM chief Anit Thapa, commenting on initial trends, said, 'people of the hills are very happy. Our responsibility will increase. Our prime focus is to establish peace and development in the hill areas."
Recently, Bimal Gurung, Binay Gurung and Ajay Edwards came together and planned to raise the Gorkhaland issue in hilly areas of West Bengal. These three leaders also fought in GTA panchayat elections under the 'United Gorkha Alliance,' which was supported by the BJP.
Panchayat elections for GTA was held in West Bengal's hill districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong. Two-tier panchayat elections, as against three-tier polls in the rest of the state, were held in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) area after 23 years on July 8. While the BJP has won two gram panchayats so far, the United Gorkha Alliance has secured one GP.
Independent candidates won majority of the seats in nine GPs, according to results declared as of 3pm. Panchayat Samiti results are yet to be declared. There are 598 gram panchayat seats in 70 GPs in Darjeeling, and 281 gram panchayat seats in 42 GPs in Kalimpong.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporters from Chandpur gram panchayat of Barasat block in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district celebrated party's victory by dancing and smearing each other with green gulal.
(Express Photos by Partha Paul)
West Bengal witnessed widespread violence as voting for the crucial three-tier Panchayat polls went underway on Saturday (July 8).
Our experts explain why election seasons in West Bengal have historically been so violent.
TMC - 14,767
BJP - 3,344
CPI(M) - 1,086
Congress - 783
Independent - 854
(Source: State Election Commission)
Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporters began their celebrations as the party secured victory over 12,000 gram panchayat seats.
(Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)
Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers on Tuesday attacked the vehicle of BJP MLA Chandana Bauri at Saltora in West Bengal's Bankura district.
Bauri alleged that TMC miscreants launched an attack on their temporary camps. "Miscreants belonging to TMC vandalised our vehicles. They even beaten up our workers. The police did not take action. I strongly condemn such atrocities," said Bauri.
There has been no official reaction from the TMC on this allegation so far.
Bharatiya Janata Party from Ranaghat Jagannath Sarkar Tuesday fell sick after entering into a verbal altercation with police personnel outside a counting centre at Phulia in Nadia district.
He has been taken to a hospital in Fulia where his condition is said to be stable.
According to sources, Sarkar suffered a heat-stroke due to hot and humid weather conditions. Sarkar, however, claimed that he fell sick after policemen stopped him from entering the counting centre. "I have high blood pressure. The policemen pushed me and I fell down. Since then I am not feeling well," said Sarkar.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) secured victory in over 3,700 gram panchayat (GP) seats and was leading in another 3,167 seats in West Bengal, against the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which bagged 673 seats and led in 782 others, out of 63,229 gram panchayat seats across the state, according to data released by the State Election Commission.
Meanwhile, the CPI(M) has so far won 241 seats and is currently leading in over 627 GP seats, followed by its ally Congress which won 107 GP seats and was leading in 241 others, the data said. (PTI)
Soon after Bharatiya Janata Party's national spokesperson Sambit Patra launched an attack on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for violence during West Bengal panchayat polls, the latter's General Secretary and Spokesperson Kunal Ghosh called him hypocritic.
"... your hypocrisy knows no bounds. You spew baseless accusations while conveniently ignoring the cesspool in your own backyard. Trinamool Congress workers account for over 70% of casualties during the 2023 Panchayat elections, yet you conveniently turn a blind eye," Ghosh tweeted.
Earlier in the day, Patra, while addressing a press conference said, "It was once said that what Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow... Thanks to TMC, the kind of violence that is happening is unpredictable. We never witnessed such violence in our lives, nor heard about it in any of the elections. Elections and violence have become synonyms... and it is not the first time that it is happening in Bengal."
"The panchayat elections that were concluded on July 8, since the time of the nomination, at least 45 people have been killed as of today. If we talk about the Assembly elections of 2021, about 52 people have been killed in Bengal. About 23 people were killed in the panchayat elections of 2018. And before this in 2013, about 15 people were killed during Bengal panchayat polls," Patra told the reporters.
Ruckus ensued at a counting centre in Malda's Sovanagar gram panchayat after the husband of a candidate allegedly tried to flee with a ballot box. The police chased and nabbed him.
The initial trends show that ruling Trinamool Congress is leading in 1,218 out of total 3,317 gram panchayats in West Bengal. The BJP is leading in 288 while the Congress is leading in 136 seats. The Left Front in leading in 109 gram panchayats while other parties, including independent candidates, are leading in 43 seats. The ISF is leading in 14 gram panchayats.
Smoke billows from a locality in after crude bombs went off outside a counting centre in Diamond harbour.
TMC wins 10 gram panchayat seats
District wise
North 24 pgs - 1
South 24 pgs - 5
Paschim Mednipur - 2
Purulia - 1
Purba Burdwan - 1
TMC: Wins - 10, Leading - 601 seats
BJP: Leading - 130
CPI: Leading- 4
CPI(M): Leading - 131
INC: Leading -18
After landing in Kolkata, Governor C V Ananda Bose headed straight to Bhangar in South 24 Paraganas district as the counting of votes in the violence-hit panchayat and rural body elections is currently underway.
2018
Total seats 58691
Gram Panchayat 48649
Panchayat Samiti 9217
Zilla Parishad 825
-------------------------------
TMC 46973
BJP 6570
CPI 34
CPIM 1593
INC 1205
FB 110
RSP 106
IND 112
-------------------------------
2013
Total seats 58865
--------------------------------
TMC 31012
BJP 617
CPI 489
CPIM 16181
INC 6490
FB 955
RSP 925
-------------------------------
2008
Total seats 51052
--------------------------------
TMC 11513
BJP 1341
CPI 632
CPIM 23832
INC 8328
FB 1313
RSP 1310
NCP 5
BSP 16
Held cyclically a year before the Lok Sabha polls, the panchayat elections are considered a precursor to what is to follow in a largely rural state. The genesis of the Trinamool Congress's electoral dominance over West Bengal is seen to have been the 2008 panchayat polls, in which it (along with the Congress) punctured the Left Front's decades-long dominance over panchayat polls, bringing the then ruling coalition's tally down to just above 50% from the usual returns of 85-90%.
The TMC and the Congress wrested two district Zilla Parishads each from the CPI(M)-led Left Front as well, which was unprecedented, and ran the Left close in several others. A year later, in the aftermath of the Singur agitation and a consolidation of Congress forces in the TMC, Mamata Banerjee's party upset the Left with a massive victory in the Lok Sabha polls, a trend that's yet to be reversed.
The 2018 panchayat polls, too, were a precursor. In the wake of the alleged massive rigging and violence in which the results of a huge number of panchayat seats were declared uncontested in favour of the ruling party, the BJP in 2019 made massive gains in the Lok Sabha, running the TMC close. --ENS
Security personnel resort to lathi charge to disperse crowd gathered outside a polling station in Howrah. The people were reportedly trying to enter the counting centre.
West Bengal BJP MLA and general secretary Agnimitra Paul says CM and her nephew silent even after widespread violence on polling day.
Ahead of the counting, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Opposition parties traded charges of attempts to disturb the counting process.
State Congress president leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday wrote to the SEC that he has received reports of attempts to rig the counting. “Reports received from different sources say that centres, where counting is to take place, are all set to be rigged. A large number of goons and anti-social elements have gathered to prevent the entry of candidates/agents other than the ruling party… Apart from this, a large number of photographs and videos are available where sealed ballot boxes are being either tampered with or stolen or even replaced,” he wrote to the poll panel.
The results from the gram panchayats are likely to arrive at noon while the same for the panchayat samitis will come around in the evening. The results of the zilla parishad seats will come by night. According to State Election Commission, the final result after scrutiny will be available on Wednesday.
The CPM has accused Trinamool Congress of creating tension by hurling bombs in Diamond Harbor in South 24 Parganas -- an allegation TMC has denied.
Tension continues in several pockets of the state on the counting day. The CPI(M) has accused Trinamool Congress of preventing their agents from going to the counting centre at Nanoor in Birbhum on Tuesday morning. The party has also alleged that their workers were beaten up and protested by burning tires at Kirnahar bus stand. The ruling party has however denied the allegations.
Reports of sporadic violence trickling in. Crude bombs allegedly hurled in Diamond Harbour.
West Bengal governor C V Ananda Bose on Tuesday assured of stern action against the control room lords that is those who sit in political control rooms and guide or remote control the goons on the field. He said: "There will be certainly very stern action because this violence is affecting the future of the new generation...We will make Bengal a safer place for the new generation to live in..."
A day after West Bengal witnessed repolling in about 697 booths in the wake of violence that marred the panchayat elections, the counting of votes has begun. A total of 73,887 seats across all three levels — gram panchayats, panchayat samitis and zila parishads– went to polls on Saturday. The violence has led to the deaths of at least 20 people.
Security deployed at Berhampore Girls College, Murshidabad, a counting centre.
A counting centre in Cooch Behar -- district that saw isolated cases of violence on the election day.
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