Trinamul sweeps civic polls, BJP comes second
Kolkata, Aug. 17: The ruling Trinamul on Thursday recorded a landslide win in the municipal elections in West Bengal capturing all the seven civic bodies while the BJP emerged as the main challenger finishing second relegating the Left to the third position.
Of a total 148 wards in the seven civic bodies which went to polls on August 13, the Trinamul bagged 140 while the BJP got six seats.
The CPM, the main constituent of the Left Front, and the Congress put up a dismal show drawing a blank. The Forward Bloc, a Left Front partner, secured a single seat.
An independent candidate also succeeded in one seat. The BJP won six seats in three municipalities — four in Dhupguri in north Bengal and one each in Buniyadpur (north Bengal) and Panskura in south Bengal, according to the results of the civic elections.
The Trinamul won all the 29 seats in Haldia Municipality, 43 seats Durgapur Municipal Corporation and 12 seats in Cooper’s Camp.
The Trinamul also bagged 14 of the 16 wards in Nalhati Municipality while the Forward Bloc and an independent candidate won one ward each.
In the 18-member Panskura municipality, the Trinamul won 17 wards and the BJP managed to secure one ward.
Of the 16 seats in Dhupguri municipality in north Bengal, the Trinamul won 12 seats while the BJP captured four.
In Buniyadpur Municipality, also in north Bengal, the Trinamul won 13 wards and the BJP bagged one seat.
The election results were indicative of a paradigm shift in the state politics with the BJP emerging as the main challenger to the Trinamul, according to poll watchers.
Trinamul supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the win as the victory of “ma mati manush”. “I am indebted to the people for this victory and I thank them,” she said. — PTI