Kolkata, Feb 14 : Describing the overwhelming victory of the Trinamool Congress in all the four civic bodies as the victory of Ma, Mati, Manush, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said her party was committed to carrying forward the development of the state. Taking to her Twitter handle, Banerjee said, “It is once again an overwhelming victory of Ma, Mati, Manush. My heartiest congratulations to the people of Asansol, Bidhannagar, Siliguri & Chandanagor for having put their faith and confidence in All India Trinamool Congress candidates in the Municipal Corporation elections.”
“We are committed to carrying forward our development work further with greater zeal and enthusiasm. My sincerest gratitude to Ma Mati Manush,” said Banerjee after TMC headed for a thumping win,” she added. Ma, mati, manush (mother, land and people) is a pet slogan of the Trinamool chief.
Trends indicated a sweeping victory for Trinamool in all four civic bodies located in various regions of the eastern state. In Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, in the north east fringes of the city, the Trinamool was leading in 40 out of 41 seats. In the remaining seat, an independent candidate was at the forefront. In Asansol of Paschim Bardhaman district, Trinamool was ahead in 50 seats and BJP in 4 wards, while the Left Front and Congress are in pole positions in two seats each.
Asansol has total 106 wards. In Siliguri, considered the gateway to the Northeast, the Trinamool was leading in 31 seats, BJP in 2, and the Left and the Congress in one each our of total 47 seats. Former minister and mayor of the previous elected board in Siliguri Municipal Corporation Ashok Bhattacharya, a CPI-M heavyweight, bit the dust from ward 6. Trinamool nominee Md Alam defeated the former minister in the Left Front government by over 300 votes On the other hand, Trinamool leader and former minster Gautam Deb was declared winner from his ward with a convincing three thousand plus margin. Immediately afterwards, Banerjee declared that Deb will be the Mayor of Siliguri. In Chandannagore under Hooghly district, the Trinamool was ahead in 20 seats, and the Left in one out of the total 33 seats. Chandannagar – went to the polls on February 12.
Altogether, 203 candidates were in the fray in 41 wards in Bidhannagar, while 200 contested in 47 wards of the Siliguri civic body, as per the State Election Commission website. Besides, there were 120 aspirants for 33 wards in Chandannagar and 430 candidates in 106 wards in Asansol. In 2015, Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool had registered a thumping victory from Bidhannagar, Asansol and Chandannagar while Siliguri was won by the Left Front.
