Kolkata, Dec 21 (IANS): After registering an unprecedented victory winning 133 of the 144 seats in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation election on Tuesday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee congratulated the people saying that the city will only show way to the people of the country.
The Trinamool Congress registered a historic victory in the KMC election winning 134 of the 144 seats. In 2015, it had won 113 seats which was, so far, the highest in recent times and this year it has broken its previous records turning the Opposition into minnows. All the 16 boroughs have been under the control of Trinamool Congress.
BJP that - even before the Assembly polls - was aggressive enough to challenge the supremacy of Trinamool Congress has been successful in bagging only three seats followed by congress and Left front that managed to get two seats each. The independent candidates got three seats.
In 2015, the ruling Trinamool Congress had won 113 seats - the highest margin then, while BJP had 7 seats and Congress and Left Front had 5 and 15 seats respectively. Three seats were won by the Independent candidates. This year, the ruling party improved its tally further.
Interacting with media after the victory, the chief minister said: "This is a victory of the people who have given their mandate in favour of development. This is a victory of development that Trinamool Congress has been continuously doing since its inception to power in 2011".
"People have come out wholeheartedly to vote. This is a victory for democracy. This will help to keep a low profile and humbly work for the people of the city as well as of the state," the chief minister added.
Speaking on a larger perspective, the chief minister stated: "This victory is very important on national level also because all the national parties like BJP, Congress and Left Front have been defeated by the people's mandate. We will work more for the development of the state".
"The beautification of Kolkata has been done. We stay on-ground and don't fly by night. We will now work for the urban and semi-urban areas also," she added.
Outgoing mayor Firhad Hakim, who went to meet chief minister Mamata Banerjee after the results fuelling the speculation of becoming the mayor for the second time, told the reporters: "We should accept the mandate of the people. We also did opposition politics for 34 years but we never questioned the people. They defeated us and we accepted it with a whole heart".
Hitting out at BJP for their demand for repoll, Hakim said: "One should have the moral courage to accept the people's mandate. BJP is insulting the common people - the voters who went all the way from their houses to the polling stations to give their vote. BJP is insulting them. They have given the answers."
Asked whether Firhad Hakim will be the next mayor, a senior Trinamool leader said: "That will be decided by the party. Once the result comes in the leadership will decide the future mayor of the city".