The ruling Trinamool Congress has steamrolled to a massive victory in West Bengal’s violence-scarred rural polls, bagging all zila parishads and leaving its rivals trailing way behind in results declared by the State Election Commission. The TMC won all 20 Zila Parishads in the three-tier panchayat system, winning a straight 880 seats, while its nearest rival BJP won 31 seats out of 928 seats. The Congress-Left front alliance won 15 seats while others won 2 remining seats.
The TMC has won over 35,000 gram panchayat seats, out of the 63,219 gram panchayat seats. However though the counting was over exact figures were not known as compilation and dissemination process was not complete said officials.
The ruling party’s nearest rival BJP has won nearly 10,000 seats. While the Left-Congress alliance won over approximately 6,000 seats.
Polling was held for 73,887 seats in zilla parishads, panchayat samitis, and gram panchayats at 339 venues across 22 districts of the state. Altogether 2.06 lakh candidates were in the fray. According to experts, the 2023 panchayat elections reflected the image of 2018 when there was widespread violence and booth capturing. The counting began at 8 am, and it is likely to continue for two days.
VIOLENCE CONTINUES ON COUNTING DAY
The Bengal panchayat elections held on July 8 and 10 (repolling) were marked by massive violence that included bombing, shooting, and murders. As many as 33 people were killed between June 8, when the panchayat elections were announced, and July 8 (polling day), with more than 60% of the overall fatalities belonging to the TMC. As many as 18 murders were recorded on July 8. Another seven murders were reported in the next three days. The BJP alleged that its workers in Basanti were lathi-charged by the police after they celebrated their candidate's win. Some of them had to jump into a nearby pond to save themselves, the BJP said. The police said that they were forced to take action as the people had thrown colour at them.
The counting day was also marked by unrest as clashes and bombings were reported outside several counting centres, including those in Nandigram, Diamond Harbour, Howrah, and other places. Reports of clashes between political workers and security forces were reported from various districts. The winning candidate from CPI(M) candidate in Baruipur's Kalyanpur was allegedly thrashed as he had secured a victory, even after four rounds of counting. In Bali, a Trinamool polling agent alleged that he was thrashed by supporters of rival parties. A BJP MLA's convoy was attacked in Bankura's Shaltora.
In several areas, ballot boxes and papers were found in drains in many districts, such as Bali and Bankura. A Trinamool polling agent in Bali was seriously injured after being thrashed allegedly by CPI(M) candidates when he went to retrieve the ballot papers from the drain. Some miscreants were seen running away with ballot papers in their hands in Habra. In Bishnupur, BJP's Zilla Parishad candidate Anoop Pailan was grievously injured in a clash.
In a video, state police and central forces were seen fleeing a counting centre in Khandaghosh, Purba Bardhaman, as supporters of a political party chased them with sticks and stones.
In the wake of the violence on counting day, Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose issued a stern warning: "There will be a relentless fight against growing violence in Bengal. Those who commit violence in the field will be made to curse the day they are born. All authorities will come down with a heavy hand on the goons and lawbreakers..."