India: West Bengal State Chief Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress Party Triumphs in Civic Polls
13:51 GMT 14.02.2022 (Updated: 10:42 GMT 19.07.2022)
© AP Photo / Bikas DasChief Minister of West Bengal state and Trinamool Congress party leader Mamata Banerjee displays the victory symbol as she arrives to announce the names of the party's candidates for the upcoming legislative assembly elections in Kolkata, India, Friday, March 5, 2021. The eight phased legislative assembly elections in the state are scheduled to begin on March 27.
© AP Photo / Bikas Das
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The West Bengal municipal elections were last held in 2015. The 2020 elections have been postponed until now because of the continuing COVID pandemic.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) party on Monday swept to victory in West Bengal's four municipal regions - Bidhannagar, Siliguri, Chandannagar and Asansol - according to the State Election Commission.
This means that the party will also rule in the state's seven zone-bound municipalities. The TMC had already won elections to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation which took place in December 2021.
Elections in the two remaining municipalities will be held on 27 February.
In a tweet congratulating party workers and thanking voters, Banerjee said: "Once again this is an overwhelming victory for Ma, Mati, Manush (Mother, Soil and Individuals). My heartiest congratulations to the people of Asansol, Bidhannagar, Siliguri and Chandannagar for having put their faith and confidence in the All India Trinamool Congress candidates in the Municipal Corporation elections."
"We are committed to progressing with our development work with increased zeal and enthusiasm. My sincerest gratitude to Ma Mati Manush," Banerjee said.
Meanwhile, social media users shared videos of TMC party workers celebrating after the overwhelming victory.
#Watch| #TMC workers have started celebration outside Bidhannagar College, where counting for 41 wards of BDN municipal corporation going on. pic.twitter.com/Ei0MjTcFcP
— Piyali Mitra (@Plchakraborty) February 14, 2022
#WATCH | TMC workers celebrate in North 24 Parganas as the party sweeps the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation election. #WestBengalCivicPolls pic.twitter.com/aZxFkd6PFB
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
These elections were vital for Banerjee to win as opposition parties - especially the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - alleged last year that her party had resorted to violence after winning the state assembly election when post-poll violence was witnessed in different parts of the state.
The BJP claimed that nine of its members were murdered and the TMC alleged that three of its workers were killed within hours of the election result being announced. The matter is now being examined in the state's High Court.
This time Banerjee said: "The election was held peacefully. The State Election Commission and administration played important roles to ensure people cast their votes. There was no trouble anywhere during polling."
Meanwhile, the BJP on Monday tabled a motion for the Calcutta High Court demanding paramilitary forces be deployed for the remaining municipalities polls scheduled to take place on 27 February.