In a surprise, Humro Party, a newly-formed political party, managed to win the Darjeeling municipality Wednesday.
Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) Wednesday managed to win 102 of the 108 municipalities across West Bengal. With no opposition in at least 31 of the 102 civic bodies, the landslide victory is also seen as a step to bolster the party’s hold in the state.
Meanwhile, while the Left Front managed to win the Taherpur Municipality, the BJP failed to clinch victory in any civic body. The TMC has also managed to get at least 70 per cent of the votes till now.
This comes months after the TMC’s landslide victory in the state Assembly election and the subsequent bypolls and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation votes — both won by the TMC. In a surprise, however, Humro Party, a newly-formed political party, managed to win the Darjeeling municipality Wednesday. Till the time of filing this report, Humro Party was winning in 17 of the 32 seats of the civic body.
Floated by Ajay Edward, the owner of a famous restaurant in Darjeeling, Humro Party has seemingly given the people of the Hills an alternative. The party is not aligned to any of the major political parties.
In a major achievement, the TMC has managed to strengthen its bastion in the Kanthi Municipality limits — an area dominated by former TMC leader and minister Suvendu Adhikari’s family.
Congratulating the party, its supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, “Heart-felt gratitude to Ma-Mati-Manush for according yet another overwhelming mandate to us. Congratulations to the winning candidates of All India Trinamool Congress in the Municipal Elections. Let victory enhance our responsibility and dedication. Let triumph impart humility. Let us together work for peace, prosperity and development of the state. Jai Bangla!”
In an interesting turn of events, the ruling party managed to clinch 18 of the 21 seats in this civic body while Adhikari’s new party, the BJP, has won only two seats. Meanwhile, an Independent candidate is leading in one of the seats. This is for the first time in 30 years that the Adhikari family lost its hold in the Kanthi Municipality limits.
The election results come amid shrill Opposition protests alleging massive violation of poll codes on the day of voting with violence breaking out in many pockets of the state. While some parties, including the BJP, moved the court to demand repolling in some areas, they could not manage to secure a favourable verdict.
