Left Front sweeps Kolkata municipal elections

After five years, the CPI(M)-led Left Front today wrested power in the 141-ward Kolkata Municipal Corporation from the Trinamool Congress and retained the Bidhannagar municipality, while Mamata Banerjee's party managed to retain Uttarpara-Kotrung in the Hooghly district.

The Left Front's success is being touted as a precursor to the West Bengal Assembly polls, likely within a year.

Reacting to the news, Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee said, "The people have reposed more faith in the Left Front and I hope both the state government and the KMC will work hand-in-hand to develop the city further."

The Left Front crossed the half-way mark in the civic body, winning in 75 seats and wresting control of the KMC from the Trinamool Congress, which had gained control of the civic body since in 2000.

The Trinamool Congress-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine managed to win 45 seats. The Congress, in alliance with dissident Trinamool Congress leader and former Kolkata Mayor Subrata Mukherjee, won 19 seats.

Former West Bengal Chief Minister and veteran CPI(M) leader Jyoti Basu said the Left Front's return to power in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation was owing to its growing influence among the middle- and upper-class, and was an indication of the front's "bigger victory" in the next Assembly polls.

But the results have proved once again that the only real opposition to the Left Front in West Bengal comes from the Trinamool Congress. In the 24-seat Uttarpara-Kotrung Municipality, the Trinamool Congress won 17 seats. In the Uttarpara-Kotrung municipality, the Left Front won six and the Congress one. Of the six, the CPI(M) got five and the CPI one.

The Congress has been the real loser in the polls, with the party not being able to notch up any gains despite its new found alliance. The Congress performance is likely to result in the state party unit being questioned.

The Congress will also revive attempts to strike an alliance with Banerjee for the Assembly polls, after it has become apparent that a TC-Congress combine will be able to put up a good fight against the Left. Banerjee has, however, been reluctant to let go of the alliance with the BJP.

In the 24 member Uttarpara-Kotrang municipality, the Rrinamool Congress retained its hold with two-thirds majority bagging 17 wards. The Left Front won six and the Congress one. Of the six, the CPI(M) got five and cpi one.

Reacting to the news, Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee said "People have reposed more faith on the Left Front and I hope both the state government and the KMC will work hand-in-hand to develop the city further."