Municipal Polls Left front sweeps Siliguri, mixed results elsewhere CII Appreciates BENGAL as a model state Shalimar Works Breaking new grounds

The Left Front has swept the Siliguri Corporation and Rajpur-Sonarpur municipal polls defeating all opposition parties with large majorities. The results was announced on Monday. The lections to these two civic bodies were held on Saturday, May 15.

In Siliguri the Left Front bagged 36 seats and the opposition parties together got a meager 11 seats. Of the 11 seats the Congress and Trinamul Congress got 5 seats each and an independent 1.The CPI(M) alone secured 29 seats Forward Bloc and RSP 2 seats each and CPI 3. One significant feature of the polls in Siliguri is that the electorate has rejected all BJP candidates. In the previous election the BJP had had won two seats in Siliguri Corporation.

In the previous election in Siliguri Corporation the Left Front had a majority of 31 seats. The opposition then had 15 members on the Corporation Board. This year four seats have further slashed the opposition strength in Siliguri Corporation. The Rajpur-Sonarpur Municipality in the previous term was dominated by the Left Front. Here the Front has virtually decimated the opposition bagging 27 out 33 seats. The opposition has to rest content with 6 seats only.

The Left Front has secured majority in three municipalities and the Congress in two others and no single party attained majority in the remaining four civic bodies in the West Bengal. Elections to 10 Municipalities and one corporation were on May 15 (Saturday). Results for 9 municipalities were announced on Sunday (May 16).

The Left Front has secured absolute majority in Uluberia, Rajarhat-Gopalpur and Gangarampur. The Congress has got majority on its own in Saithia and Kaliaganj municipalities. In Islampur, of the 14 seats the Congress retained as in the previous election 7 seats, but the Left Front had to be content with 2 lesser number of sets than before. In the outgoing board the Left Front had six members. This time around, Left Front candidates won in 4 seats. No single party majority, however, is there in Islampur. In Mal municipality too, the picture is unclear with no single party or Front getting majority in the election. Out of 16 sets, the Left Front has bagged 8 and the remaining 8 have been shared among the Congress 5, Trinamul Congress 2, and BJP 1.

In Madhyamgram no party or combination has got the majority. The Left Front has bagged 10 out of a total of 23 seats. Congress 2, Trinamul Congress 10, and the BJP 1. In the previous election, the Congress had won 11 out of a total of 12 seats in the Madhyamgram municipality. In Egra too absolute majority has eluded all parties and combinations.

The Left Front has retained the control of the Uluberia municipality election for which were held on Saturday, May 14. Election to Siliguri Corporation and 10 other municipalities were held on the same day. Polls were also held for three vacant seats in Arambagh and Bhadrawar. In two of the three seats the CPI(M) candidates in Arambagh and Bhadreswar have won.

In Uluberia the Left Front cnadidates have won the majority of 18 seats. Among them 13 belong to the CPI(M) and 5 to the Forward Bloc. Among the opposition candidates, six of the Congress three of the BJP and one of the Trinamul Congress won in Uluberia.

In Sainthia in Birbhum, the Congress retained the hold over the local municipality winning the municipal election.

Although the number of seats for the Mal Municipality has been raised to 16, the Left Front has set up tie with the opposition winning 8 seats. It is yet to be as certained who will be the next Chairman of the Mal municipality.

In the Egra in Midnapore no combination seems to have attained absolute majority in the just-held municipal elections. Out of a total of 14 seats, the Left Front has got 5 and the Congress 4.

The Congress retained the Kaliaganj municipality in North Dinajpur district winning 13 out of 17 seats of the remaining four seats, the CPI(M) got 3 and an independent one.

In Islampur in North Dinajpur district the Left Front lost the municipal election winning only 4 out of 14 seats. The Congress bagged 7 seats, BJP 2 and Trinamul Congress 1 seat. In the previous election in Islampur the Congress got 7 seats, CPI(M) 6 and BJP 1 seat . The Chairman of the municipality was elected by toss of coin. At that time a Left Front candidate was elected Chairman of the Islampur municipality.