Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) has swept the West Bengal Panchayat polls as it bagged 34,560-gram panchayat seats and was leading in 705 seats, according to the State Election Commission (SEC) as of 11:30 AM on Wednesday. Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is appearing to be the distant second in the panchayat polls as it won 9,621 seats and is leading in 169 seats.
For the Left Front and Congress, the results are not very encouraging as the CPI(M) has won 2,908-gram panchayat seats and is leading in 86 seats, while Congress won 2,515 seats and is leading in 71.
The confidence-filled TMC workers celebrated the grand victory of their party and even demanded the resignation of Governor CV Ananda Bose accusing him of acting as an BJP agent. “Now, after the verdict of the people, Governor Bose should resign and get out of Bengal. He has acted as an agent of the BJP, provoked opposition in unethical ways, and insulted Bengal. He has no right to continue as Governor," tweeted TMC leader Kunal Ghosh.
When it comes to 9,728 Panchayat samiti seats, the domination of TMC is evident as it won 6,228 Panchayat samiti seats while leading 218 seats. BJP has won 960 and is leading in 50 seats, while CPI(M) has won 171 seats and is leading in 13 others and Congress has won 254 seats and is leading in 9 seats.
In elections for the 928 Zila Parishad seats, the TMC has won 592 seats and is leading in 188 others while the BJP won 18 and is leading in 9 seats. The CPI(M) has won 2 seats and is leading in 1 more seat, while Congress has won 6 and is leading in 7.
Violence continues on counting day
The spate of violence which engulfed the whole panchayat election process continued on counting day as three persons including two activists of the Indian Secular Front (ISF) were killed and several others injured in a clash outside the counting booth on Tuesday.
“According to our apprehension, violence, nexus between the ruling party, police, and the state election commission and unprecedented violence has led to the death of more than 40 persons. After the counting, post-poll violence will be unleashed," State Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury while questioning the validity of elections.
“Murder of democracy in West Bengal under the TMC govt. Over 60 dead & 100s were injured in the local body elections. Strongly condemn. Strengthen popular resistance to save democracy in Bengal & in India," tweeted CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury.
Former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said he will lead a BJP delegation to all violence-hit areas of West Bengal. “We propose to visit all the affected areas, meet those who are tortured & victimized," he said.
(With agency inputs)
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Devesh Kumar
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Updated: 12 Jul 2023, 02:52 PM IST