Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress has won four of the seven municipal corporations where elections were held in West Bengal. They also made inroads in the hills of Darjeeling, a stronghold for BJP ally the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) for nearly three decades, by grabbing Mirik, one of the four civic bodies, which voted for a municipal body for the first time.
In Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimping, however, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has retained its hold.
In Raiganj and Domkal in the plains, traditionally Congress strongholds, too the Trinamool has won. And in Pujali near Kolkata. The ruling party is celebrating.
“Mamata Banerjee has brought back democracy to the hills,” said senior minister Aroop Biswas, who was in charge of Darjeeling.
Opposition parties had demanded fresh elections in Raiganj, Domkal and Pujali after they withdrew their candidates from many seats on Sunday, polling day, because of violence and booth capturing, which they blame on the ruling party.
Communist leader Sitaram Yechury said that it is blatant misuse of state machinery” while the Congress had gone to court seeking that the elections be cancelled. The Calcutta High Court has today dismissed the petition filed by the Congress.
The Trinamool Congress has rejected the allegations and blamed the BJP for the violence, which saw clashes and EVMs damaged in several wards and policeman injured.
