KMC polls: Landslide win for Mamata Banerjee's TMC, Didi thanks people of Kolkata

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) bagged 134 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was a distant second with three seats, while the Congress and the Left managed to win just two wards each.

Kolkata: For Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC), it was a landslide victory in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) polls. TMC swept away the elections, winning 134 out of 144 wards on Tuesday (December 21). The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was a distant second with three seats, while the Congress and the Left managed to win just two wards each.

An overjoyed Firhad Hakim, Kolkata Mayor, and State Minister, said, "This is a victory for the people of Kolkata because they established their belief in us.  With huge victory comes more and, more responsibility. The party has called a meeting on 23rd December where the next Mayor will be decided."

Saying that he himself has been personally targeted for his religion, Hakim said, "People have given a befitting reply to the BJP. They believe in the politics of division. The BJP used to give me names like mini Pakistan. Just because I am a Muslim, they do not have the authority to insult me; thankfully people have replied to the communal party."

Counting of votes for 144 wards of KMC began this morning at 8 am. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee thanked the people of the metropolis for the "massive" victory. "I want to dedicate this triumph to the people of the state and 'Maa, Mati, Manush' (mother, land and people - the slogan of TMC). Several national parties like the BJP, Congress, and CPI(M) also fought against us, but they were all defeated. This victory will show the way in national politics in days to come," Banerjee told reporters outside her residence.

Meanwhile, Mamata offered prayers at the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati on Tuesday during a brief visit to the city. The West Bengal CM arrived in the afternoon in Guwahati, even as her party swept the Kolkata civic polls, and drove straight to the temple atop the Nilachal Hills where she was received by the temple's 'dolois' or priests.

(Pic courtesy: IANS)

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also thanked the people of Kolkata for the "huge mandate". "People of Kolkata have once again proven that politics of HATE & VIOLENCE have NO PLACE in BENGAL! I thank everyone for blessing us with such a huge mandate. We are truly humbled and shall always remain committed in our goals towards YOUR BETTERMENT! Thank you Kolkata," he tweeted.

The TMC has been in power in KMC since 2010. In the last KMC polls in 2015, it had won 124 seats, whereas the Left Front bagged 13. The BJP and the Congress had secured five and two seats, respectively.