Mamata Banerjee hails ‘landmark victory’ as TMC leads Kolkata Civic Polls

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday hailed a “landmark victory” as her party led the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) elections. 

“It’s a landmark victory, it has sent a clear message that people have accepted our work. BJP, Left and Congress are nowhere,” Banerjee said. According to latest official trends, the TMC has won 54 of the 144 KMC seats and is leading in another 78, ANI reported. 

The state’s ruling party has a sizable lead over its closest competitors, the BJP and the Left, each of which leads in three wards. The Congress, however, is leading only in two wards.

The Trinamool Congress, which won a landslide win over the BJP in the state assembly election earlier this year, appears to have made gains in the civic body since 2015, when it won 114 seats. Both the BJP and the Left are expected to receive much lower votes than in past elections. The Congress is still ranked fourth, with fewer seats predicted to be elected than before. 

Also Read | Mamata’s Trinamool to ally with MGP in upcoming Goa Assembly polls

After a successful partnership in the assembly election, the Left and the Congress have opted to run independently in the Kolkata municipal elections. No candidate has been named by any political party to run for Mayor. 

Kajari Banerjee, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s sister-in-law, is one of the Trinamool’s notable contenders this time. She is running for the Bhowanipore ward number 73.

The Bengal BJP has accused the government of using violence and violating election laws. The party condemned the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) elections as a farce in a letter to the state Election Commission on Sunday, alleging that the police failed to prevent violence. 

The Trinamool Congress had already accused the BJP of luring people to one of the wards with the promise of Biryani. 

There were sporadic violent acts during Sunday’s election. Two polling booths were allegedly targeted with bombs. According to a State Election Commission official, police contingents were dispatched to the scene to put the situation under control.