TMC supporters celebrating their win in Rajpur-Sonarpur municipality of West Bengal. (Express photo by Atri Mitra)West Bengal Civic Body Polls Result 2022 Live Updates: The ruling Trinamool Congress is headed for a landslide victory in the West Bengal municipal elections. Though the counting of votes is underway, the TMC so far has bagged 93 of the 108 municipalities and 70 per cent of the votes. The Left Front has opened its account, winning the Taherpur Municipality in Nadia district, whereas Congress and BJP are yet to win a single municipality. The newly-formed Humro Party surprisingly won the Darjeeling Municipality.
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 West Bengal State Election Commission (SEC) is counting the votes for 108 civic bodies today (Wednesday), which saw a 77 per cent turnout. 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, has 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.
People take part in a rally in support of BJP candidates, ahead of the municipal elections, in South Dinajpur district, Wednesday, Feb 23, 2022. (PTI Photo)
TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee congratulated all the winning candidates of the party and expressed gratitude over the “overwhelming mandate”.
In a tweet Wednesday, Banerjee said, "Let victory enhance our responsibility and dedication. Let triumph impart humility. Let us together work for peace, prosperity and development of the state."
Suvendu Adhikari and his family faced a massive setback as the TMC snatched Kanthi Municipality, considered the Adhikari family's backyard for the last four decades.
The Leader of Opposition (LoP)'s father, Sisir Adhikari, was the municipality's chairman for 25 years from 1971- 2009, except for five years from 1981-86. After becoming an MP, he handed the baton to his younger son Dibyendu Adhikari. After Dibyendu Adhikari became an MP in a by-election in 2016, his younger brother Soumendu took over the post. (PTI)
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has bagged 93 of 108 municipalities in the civic body polls. According to an SEC official quoted by PTI, it is leading in seven others.
The TMC has reduced the opposition's tally to zero in 27 municipalities, securing all the wards.
Among the 90 municipalities which the TMC has bagged, the ruling party in the state bagged Kanthi Municipality, the bastion of Leader of Opposition and Nandigram's BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari
As the party heads for a landslide win, TMC supporters celebrate their win in Rajpur-Sonarpur municipality of West Bengal. (Express Photos by Atri Mitra)
Even as the counting of votes is still on, the TMC has received 70 per cent of the votes. The Left Front has emerged second by receiving 12 per cent votes while the BJP has got 9 per cent votes so far.
The TMC has retained power in Contai municipality in East Midnapore district despite its former leader Suvendu Adhikari defecting to the BJP. Habra, Halisahar, Kanchrapara and Naihati municipalities in the North 24 Parganas district have been rendered Opposition-free as the TMC won all the seats in these areas. Read more
Four municipalities of Beldanga in the Murshidabad district, Jhalda in the Purulia district, Champdani in the Hooghly district and Egra in the East Midnapore district have witnessed a hung situation, with no clear majority.
In a surprise for all, the newly-formed Humro Party has won the Darjeeling Municipality.
The Left Front has opened its account, winning the Taherpur Municipality in Nadia district.
However, the Congress and BJP are yet to win a single municipality.
Though the counting of votes is underway, the TMC so far has bagged 90 of the 108 municipalities and 70 per cent of the votes, indicating a landslide victory for the ruling party.
The ruling Trinamool Congress has bagged 12 of the 107 municipalities. These include all the five civic bodies in Birbhum, two in South 24 Parganas and five in Coochbehar district. The ruling party was leading in 34 other bodies, an SEC official told PTI.
Though the Congress, Left Front and BJP are yet to win a civic body, the parties have won a few wards in towns.
The Press Club of India in a tweet on Tuesday condemned the attack on journalists and photojournalists while they were covering civic polls in West Bengal. It demanded stern action against those responsible.
The BJP asked the West Bengal State Election Commission (WBSEC) to declare the elections “null and void” and called for a 12-hour strike across Bengal on Monday. The CPM and the Congress described the election as the “murder of democracy” and faulted the TMC, police and SEC.
The TMC instead claimed that the elections were peaceful with sporadic incidents of violence. An SEC official said voting was overall peaceful with disturbances in a few areas where action has been taken.
West Bengal DGP Manoj Malaviya said, “With confidence, I can say that the polling was held peacefully. There were some minor incidents of violence where action was taken immediately. However, there has been no complaints of grave injuries, bullet injuries or deaths. On specific complaints, 51 people were arrested today,” said Malaviya during a press conference.
Meanwhile, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar summoned State Election Commissioner Saurab Das at Raj Bhawan on Monday in view of poll violence reports. “State Election Commissioner Shri Saurab Das has been called upon to brief Guv anytime before 10 am tomorrow in view of alarmingly disturbing inputs, depicting scenario of violence and lawlessness, with administration in partisan mode and systemic failure,” said the governor in a tweet. Read more
About 77 per cent of the total voters on Sunday turned up to exercise their franchise in the civic polls to 108 municipalities in West Bengal that was marred by widespread violence. Throughout the day, reports of intimidation allegedly by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers, electoral malpractices and attack on journalists emerged from various parts of the state.
Since polling began at 7 am, reports of Opposition candidates being beaten up, alleged vote rigging other electoral malpractices started pouring in. A clash between TMC and BJP workers broke out at Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district. BJP MP Arjun Singh alleged that two EVMs were vandalised in ward 9. “All booths have been captured by the TMC. Only police and goons are voting here while our workers being arrested. People are scared to come out and vote. Police are playing the role of a mute spectator,” alleged Singh.
Outsiders were seen standing in queues outside polling booths in Barrackpore and Dum Dum municipalities in North 24 Parganas district. BJP candidates and independent candidates were beaten up in several areas in this district. Read more
The ruling Trinamool Congress took early leads in three municipalities as the counting of votes polled in 107 civic bodies in West Bengal began on Wednesday morning. The party took early leads in Mekhliganj and Mathabhanga municipalities in Coochbehar district in North Bengal, and Raghunathpur Municipality in Purulia district as the counting of votes began at 8 AM. (PTI)