Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday thanked the people of West Bengal for the TMC’s huge win in the panchayat elections. The counting for the election to the three-tier panchayat system, comprising zilla parishad, panchayat samiti and gram panchayat, was still underway.
In a Facebook post, she wrote, “It’s TMC all the way in rural Bengal. I want to thank the people for their love, affection and support towards the TMC. This election has proved that only TMC resides in the heart of the people of the state.”
The counting of votes for the 63,229 Gram Panchayat seats in West Bengal commenced at 8 am on Tuesday, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) consistently leading the tally since the beginning.
The TMC has won in 34,359 gram panchayat seats, besides leading in 752 seats, according to the SEC as of 8 am on Wednesday. Its nearest rival BJP has won 9,545 seats and is leading in 180 seats. The CPI (M) has won 2,885 and is leading in 96 seats. The Congress won 2,498 seats and is leading in 72.
The counting though largely peaceful was marred by stray incidents including bombs being hurled in Bhangar, a spot where there had been deaths in the run-up to election, leading to firing by central forces and state police on Tuesday night on an unruly mob which resulted in injuries including on ISF supporters and policemen including an IPS officer.
The ruling TMC won 6,134 Panchayat samiti seats while leading 61 seats. BJP has won 939 and is leading in 149 seats, while CPI(M) has won 165 seats and is leading in 14 others and Congress has won in 244 seats and is leading in 7 seats. Elections were held for 9,728 Panchayat Samiti seats.
Allegations of vote tampering and violence by various parties forced the SEC to order re-polling in 696 seats on Monday, which passed more or less peacefully. Intervention by the Calcutta High Court had seen the deployment of central police forces on both election and counting days.
On West Bengal panchayat election, State Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “…I must say that election has already been reduced to a farce, macabre dancing of the mockery of democracy was witnessed by all…It was well anticipated. According to our apprehension, violence, nexus between ruling party, Police, Election Commission – threatening & intimidation, unprecedented scale of violence has been unleased resulting in the death of more than 40 persons. After the counting, post-poll violence will be unleashed…”
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