West Bengal civic polls result: Counting of votes underway; TMC bags 90 out of 108 municipalities

The counting of votes for the West Bengal Municipal elections is underway today, 2 March. The results have seen a clean sweep by the ruling Trinamool Congress Party (TMC). The Mamata Banerjee-led party has decimated all opponents in the multi-pronged contest, which also included the Congress, BJP and the CPI(M). The Trinamoool Congress is leading in 90 of the 108 municipalities, according to reports. The party has won 1055 wards till now, according to data from the West Bengal State Election Commission. It is leading in a further 432 seats. The BJP has won 49 wards till now, while the Congress has secured 35 seats. The CPI(M) registered a win in 29 seats. The newly-formed Hamro Party has secured the Darjeeling municipality. The Nationalist Congress Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, which were also contesting the polls, failed to open their account. The TMC has also recorded major gains in Kanthi, a stronghold of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. The party has recorded a win in 17 wards out of 21. The BJP has secured only three wards in the area. The TMC has also recorded gains in the Siliguri municipality, a stronghold of the CPI(M)-led Left Front.  The party also swept the Bidhannagar Municipality with 39 seats out of 41. The civic polls, which were held on 27 February, saw over 8,000 candidates in the fray for a total of 2,171 wards across 108 civic bodies. About 78 percent polling was recorded on the day. An Indian Express report stated that some incidents of intimidation, allegedly by Trinamool Congress workers, attacks on journalists and electoral malpractices were recorded on the day of polling. The BJP has asked for a re-poll and had called for a 12-hour strike on 28 February to protest against the charges of poll violence and electoral malpractices by the ruling party. The TMC has denied all charges. This marks the latest in a spate of victories for the Trinamool Congress in recent elections, including the Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls held recently. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.