Trinamool Celebrates After Huge Lead In Bengal Rural Polls, BJP Distant Second

Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress has established a mammoth lead over its nearest rival, the BJP, in the local bodies' elections – seen as a litmus test for next year's general elections. Though the end of the counting is a long way off, celebrations have started at the Trinamool offices across the state, with green gulal and boxes of sweets.

"It's TMC all the way in rural Bengal. I want to thank the people for their love, affection and support towards the TMC. This election has proved that only TMC resides in the heart of the people of the state," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in a Facebook post.

Counting of votes started this morning for the 74,000 seats in the three-tier panchayat polls. Besides the 63,229 gram panchayat seats, it also includes 9,730 panchayat samiti seats and 928 zilla parishad seats.

Data from the state Election Commission shows the Trinamool is leading in 23,198 of the gram panchayat seats, the BJP is ahead in 5,756 seats. The CPI(M) is leading in 2,048 seats and the Congress in 1,439 seats.

Other parties which included the newly formed ISF are leading in 1,721 seats, while independents which included Trinamool rebels won 718 seats and led in 216 seats.

Monday's polling was marked by violence in multiple booths, in which 15 people died. The repolling on 696 booths yesterday was held amid allegations of ballot box tampering.

This morning, crude bombs went off near a counting centre in Murshidabad and the police resorted to lathicharge in Howrah to control crowds.

The counting though, is taking place amid strict security. armed state police personnel and central forces have been stationed at the counting centres, and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC being imposed outside the venue to avoid any untoward incidents.

The BJP has alleged that the Trinamool is making "desperate attempts to loot votes" by barring opposition agents from counting centres.

"TMC goons are making desperate attempt to steal the elections by obstructing the counting agents and candidates of the BJP and other opposition political parties from entering counting centres. They are being restricted from going towards the venue, and bombs are being hurled to intimidate counting agents," leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, was quoted as saying by news agency Press Trust of India.

Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, "Sensing defeat, they are making baseless allegations." "Rejected by people and sensing humiliating defeat, this is BJP's last attempt to come up with lame excuses to make up for its own organisational failures," he said.

The Trinamool has claimed that 60 per cent of the people killed in he violence were their supporters.

The violence had started since the Panchayat polls were announced. Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has submitted a report on the violence to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

In a first, the Raj Bhavan also attempted to address the issue of poll violence this time, with the Governor opening a "Peace Home" at his official residence to address people's complaints.