TMC wins big in Bengal civic polls, Mamata Banerjee congratulates voters
India Today
Mamata Banerjee congratulated the people of Asansol, Bidhannagar, Siliguri and Chandannagar as her party swept the municipal corporation elections.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) won all four municipal corporations that went to polls on Saturday, February 12. TMC candidates won in Bidhannagar, Asansol, Chandannagar and Siliguri municipal corporations.
With early trends predicting TMC to win, by the end of the day, TMC not only held the three existing civic bodies but also won the Siliguri municipal corporation for the first time since its inception.
Out of the 41 seats in Bidhhannagar, TMC won 39 with Congress and an independent winning one each. Former Mayor Sabyasachi Dutta, who had left TMC in 2019 to join BJP, had rejoined TMC after the 2021 VidhanSabha elections when he lost as a BJP candidate in Bidhhannagar. Dutta secured a win today on a TMC ticket. In Chandannagar, TMC won 31 with the CPIM winning one out of the total 32 seats.
Out of the 106 seats in Asansol, TMC won 91, while BJP won seven, CPIM two and three for Congress and independents each. The result could be a shock for the BJP as, during the assembly elections, Agnimitra Paul had defeated TMC's star candidate Sayani Ghosh in Asansol. However, Babul Supriyo, who was elected as an MP twice from Asansol on a BJP ticket, had left the saffron camp to join TMC after the 2021 elections.
Siliguri, which could be considered the last remaining Left bastion was won by the TMC, with Mamata Banerjee's party winning 37 and BJP winning five. CPIM secured four seats and Congress secured one. Sitting Left Front Mayor Ashok Bhattacharjee and Shankar Ghosh, the recently elected BJP MLA from Siliguri lost in the civic polls, while Goutam Deb, former North Bengal minister from TMC who did not win in the 2021 elections, won in Siliguri.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted, "It is once again an overwhelming victory of Ma, Mati, Manush. My heartiest congratulations to the people of Asansol, Bidhannagar, Siliguri and Chandanagore for having put their faith and confidence on All India Trinamool Congress candidates in the Municipal Corporation elections."
"We are committed to carry forward our development work further with greater zeal and enthusiasm. My sincerest gratitude to Ma Mati Manush," Mamata Banerjee said.
