TMC set for a clean sweep in Bengal rural body poll

West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) was set for a sweep in the violence-marred panchayat polls with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a distant second as counting for the crucial rural body elections began on Tuesday amid continuing controversy over clashes that claimed lives of 42 people during campaign and on polling day.

KOLKATA: Of the 63,229 seats at the panchayat level, elections were held in 63,219 seats in 22 districts. Results for 45,526 seats were declared by the state election commission (SEC) till around 10 pm. The TMC won 29,665 panchayat seats, while the BJP secured 8,021. The Congress won 2,094 panchayat seats and the CPI(M) bagged 2,472 seats. Independent candidates won 1,726 seats and there was a tie in 678 seats. In 2018, the TMC won 38,188 panchayat seats out of 48,636 seats.

Of the 9,730 seats at the Panchayat samiti level, the TMC won 2,155 seats and BJP won 214 seats. The CPI(M) won 47 and Congress won 38. At the zilla parishad level, the TMC won 77 seats and was leading in 92. The BJP was leading in 10 seats.

The counting will be completed on Wednesday, an SEC official said.

"Grateful to the people for converting Opposition's "No vote to Mamata" campaign to "Now vote for Mamata". With unwavering support to #TrinamooleNaboJowar, we'll surely have a roaring mandate, paving the way for LS elections. Bengal, I thank you for all the love," tweeted Abhihesk Banerjee, TMC's national general secretary.

The Opposition criticised the TMC and the state poll panel for the political violence that continued on Tuesday.