Silencing its detractors, the Trinamool Congress has swept the panchayat elections in Jangalmahal - West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia - winning a majority of the seats in the Maoistdominated area and leading in pockets where results have not been declared.
Its sweep in fact is a reminder of the party’s historic victory in the 2011 assembly polls when the Trinamool had bagged a good number of seats from these districts, earlier recognised as a red bastion.
In the last panchayat election, the three zilla parishads, almost all the panchayat samities and maximum gram panchayat seats were won by the Left Front and in a reversal of fortune, Trinamool seems all set for a big win. Like on poll day, on the day of counting, too, the situation in the three districts was largely peaceful.
It bears recall that people had stood in long queues till midnight and cast their votes.
And Opposition allegations of torture and threats notwithstanding, the verdict clearly shows that the people of Jangalmahal have reposed their faith in chief minister Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool.
Till reports last came in, out of the 290 gram panchayats in West Midnapore, Trinamool Congress has bagged more than 261.
{{/usCountry}}Till reports last came in, out of the 290 gram panchayats in West Midnapore, Trinamool Congress has bagged more than 261.
{{/usCountry}}In Bankura, too, Trinamool Congress has won more than 140 gram panchayats.