Kolkata: The ruling Trinamool Congress has recorded a landslide victory in the West Bengal municipal elections winning 102 of the 108 municipalities. Out of the 102 civic bodies won by the TMC, there is no opposition in 31 municipalities. TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee congratulated all the winning candidates of the party and expressed gratitude over the “overwhelming mandate”.
The Left Front secured its victory in Taherpur Municipality in the Nadia district. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which had emerged as the main Opposition party in West Bengal after winning 77 seats in the Assembly polls last year, failed to open its account. The Congress too failed to win a single seat. Surprisingly, the newly-formed Humro Party won the Darjeeling Municipality.
The civic body polls recorded a 77 per cent turnout, marred with violence. Reports of intimidation allegedly by the TMC workers, electoral malpractices and attack on journalists emerged from various parts of the state during the polling day. The BJP, meanwhile, had demanded a repoll. On Monday, the party had called for a 12-hour strike in the state against the civic poll violence and alleged electoral malpractices - a charge denied by the ruling TMC.
State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar alleged that the ruling TMC had resorted to intimidation, violence and false voting in the election to 107 municipalities and rendered the result meaningless. "The result does not reflect the people's feelings. The election was a farce, we do not accept the results," he told reporters after the declaration of the poll result of 107 municipalities where election was held on February 27.
