Counting Begins
The counting of votes for West Bengal panchayat elections began on the morning of 17 May, a day after re-voting on the direction of State Election Commission (SEC) was held in 568 booths across 20 districts.
Polling was first conducted on Monday, 14 May, but violence ripped through the state, killing at least 13 people and injuring over 40.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra took to Twitter on 16 May to hit out at the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government.
(With inputs from West Bengal State Election Commission, News-18)
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TMC Sweeps West Bengal Panchayat Polls
Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) clean sweeped the extremely controversial West Bengal panchayat elections. The TMC is lead by a massive margin in all the Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samitis.
As per the latest numbers available, TMC grabbed 19,394 seats in gram panchayats, News18 reported.
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Victory Shows How Strong We Are at Grassroot Level: Mamata Banerjee
Speaking to the press, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC president Mamata Banerjee said that the victory resonated with the party’s grassroot-level reach.
TMC has emerged victorious in 90 percent seats despite the opposition parties coming together. This shows how strong we are at the grassroot level.
Continuing her tirade against the BJP, the Chief Minister accused the party of taking the assistance of "Maoists" during the election. She condemned PM Modi's statement on Bengal election, adding that ti is "unbecoming of a PM."
The TMC chief claimed that her party has suffered the most during the violence, further pointing out that not a single BJP worker died in the violence.
Counting Stalled in Nadia: Reports
Firstpost reported that counting had been stalled in Nadia’s Majdia after fresh violence broke out in the area.
Police Charge at TMC and BJP Workers in Birbhum
The police charged at the supporters of TMC and BJP after the two groups got into a scuffle outside a counting centre in West Bengal’s Birbhum, ANI reported.