West Bengal Civic Polls
The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal made a landslide victory in the civic body elections. The party won 102 of 108 municipalities across the state. Out of the 102 civic bodies won by the TMC, there is no opposition in 31 municipalities.
The Left Front secured its victory in Taherpur Municipality in the Nadia district. However, BJP and Congress failed to win a single seat.
Surprisingly, the newly-formed Humro Party won the Darjeeling Municipality.
TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee congratulated the people for giving her party the huge mandate. “Heart-felt gratitude to Ma-Mati-Manush for according yet another overwhelming mandate to us. Congratulations to the winning candidates of All India Trinamool Congress in the Municipal Elections. Let victory enhance our responsibility and dedication. Let triumph impart humility. Let us together work for peace, prosperity and development of the state. Jai Bangla!” Banerjee said in a tweet.
Four municipalities—Beldanga in the Murshidabad district, Champdani in the Hooghly district, Jhalda in the Purulia district and Egra in the East Midnapore district—have witnessed a hung situation. On the other hand, the TMC is also retained power in Contai Municipality in East Midnapore district despite its former leader Suvendu Adhikari defecting to the BJP.
Meanwhile, the new entrant in north Bengal hill politics, the Humro Party won the Darjeeling Municipality. Unlike elsewhere in the state, the area surrounding Darjeeling witnessed no violence during the polls on Sunday, reported The Indian Express.
Ajay Edward, owner of a famous restaurant in Darjeeling and a social worker, floated the Humro Party in November last year which gave a new option for hill voters. Unlike the GJM and GNLF, the new party is not aligned to either the TMC or BJP. According to sources, it won 18 out of 32 seats in Darjeeling civic board, the report stated.
