The Congress on Monday maintained its dominance in gram panchayats in Murshidabad as the ruling Trinamul Congress cut a sorry figure in this district. Out of 254 gram panchayat, the Congress won 107, the Left Front 99 and Trinamul Congress bagged only 8. Forty gram panchayats were hung.
Mamata Banerjee herself had campaigned for her party in Murshidabad in her determination to wrest the Congress bastion. “We could have performed much better but the Congress won because of its muscle and money power,” former Trinamul Congress minister Humayun Kabir said.
The Trinamul Congress may not have won many gram panchayats but it certainly caused Congress’ defeat in many by dividing the anti-Left vote particularly in Bhagwangola and Beldanga. “The Congress could have achieved a better result but the Trinamul Congress played spoilsport and split the anti-Left Front,” minister of state for railway and Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said.
Till filing of this report results of 10 panchayat samiti were announced and Left Front won six while Congress won four.
Similarly, in Malda, Congress managed to secure 38 gram panchayats. At the North Dinajpur, Congress won 34 gram panchayats.