West Bengal Civic Polls: TMC set to register thumping win, BJP to end up second

Kolkata, May 17: The ruling Trinamool Congress on Thursday surged ahead by registering victory in over 2,400 gram panchayat seats, according to the results available till 12 noon, SEC officials said. The BJP and the CPI(M) won 386 and 94 gram panchayat seats respectively, the State Election Commission officials said.

According to the SEC, the TMC has won 2,467 gram panchayat seats and is leading in 2,683 seats. The BJP has won 386 seats and is leading in 231 seats while the CPI(M) won 94 seats and is leading in 163 seats, the officials said.

The Congress won 33 seats and is leading in 55 seats. Independent candidates have emerged winners in 158 seats and are leading in 163 seats. As per latest trends available for panchayat samiti seats, the TMC has won 14 seats and leading in 24 seats. The other parties are yet to open their account in panchayat samiti seats. The TMC was leading in 24 zilla parishad seats.

The panchayat elections were held for 621 zilla parishads, 6,123 panchayat samitis and 31,802 gram panchayats in West Bengal on May 14. The counting of votes began at 8 am amid tight security, the State Election Commission officials said. Of the 48,650 seats in 3,358 gram panchayats, 16,814 were uncontested and of the 9,217 seats in 341 panchayat samitis, 3,059 were uncontested. In the 20 zilla parishads, 203 of the 825 seats were uncontested, the sources said.

PTI