TMC sweeps Bengal civic polls

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has swept the municipal polls in Bengal, capturing four of seven civic bodies and breaking the decade-old hold of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in the hills.

The Mamata Banerjee-led party won a decisive majority in Domkal (Murshidabad), Raigunj (North Dinajpur) and Pujali (South 24 Parganas) in the plains and Mirik (Darjeeling) in the hill area. The GJM won the rest three municipalities — Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong.

This is the first time in three decades that a party (TMC), having its base primarily in the plains of Bengal, put up an impressive performance in the hills. Mamata took to Twitter to express her joy. “The hills are smiling #VerdictOfBengal,” she tweeted. “Congratulations to Ma Mati Manush for again & again putting their trust in us. We are honoured, privileged & humbled #VerdictOfBengal.”

The civic poll results underline Banerjee’s continuing hold over the state, with the two main Opposition parties — the Left and the Congress — together winning only six seats.

The BJP, which has its eyes set on Bengal where it hopes to take the TMC on in the next Assembly polls, also failed to make a dent — winning just three seats( one seat in the Raigunj municipality and two seats in Pujali). The TMC captured 24 of the 27 wards in Raigunj, while the Congress bagged two. The TMC won 12 of the 16 wards in the Pujali municipality, while the Congress and an Independent won one seat each.