Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said that she was happy that the people voted peacefully during the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Elections.

“Voter turnout recorded till now is over 50 per cent. I am happy people voted peacefully. Kolkata Police is carrying out its duties efficiently,” Mamata Banerjee told reporters after casting her vote at the Mitra institute in Bhowanipore along with her nephew Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday
afternoon .

Exuding confidence over Trinamul Congress’ (TMC) victory in the ongoing Kolkata Municipal elections, party MP Derek O’Brien on Sunday said the people of the city are celebrating the festival of democracy ahead of Christmas. After casting his vote, O’Brien said, “Just after Diwali and one week ahead of Christmas, we are celebrating the festival of democracy. People will bless us for the work we have done in the last 10 years. We will have the biggest victory margin.”

Attacking the  Centre, the TMC MP said, “The Prime Minister can go wherever he wants. Making promises and delivering promises are two different things. The Prime Minister is very good at making promises but he is even better at breaking promises.” A high-stakes battle is underway between BJP and TMC to gain control of the KMC in the civic polls on Sunday which will decide the fate of 950 candidates. Polling is underway at 4,959 polling booths in all 144 wards of KMC amid tight security and with Covid protocols. Both the ruling TMC and its biggest opponent BJP have fielded their candidates in all 144 seats. When BJP this time is mainly focussed on youth candidates, lawyers and professors, TMC picked up relatives of ministers.

All the attention this time has been drawn by TMC candidate from ward number 73, Bhowanipore Kajari Banerjee, the sister-in-law of Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Left and Congress who had fought the Assembly polls jointly have decided to contest the KMC polls independently. Importantly none of the parties be it TMC, BJP or Congress, has announced the face for the post of Mayor. The matter of security for conducting the KMC elections reached the door of Calcutta High Court to Apex Court. BJP sought deployment of central forces for the KMC elections citing that they do not have trust in the state police machinery.

However, the court turned down the plea for central forces. Following the interim order of the Calcutta High Court, KMC elections are being held this time without any central force. The SEC informed that adequate security measures have been put in place. Besides Kolkata and West Bengal police, the state’s armed forces are also deputed for the polling duty. In the 2015 KMC polls, TMC won 114 wards while the Left bagged 15.