The Trinamool Congress has expressed confidence that it will win all the six seats in the upcoming by elections, notwithstanding the ongoing movement in the backdrop of Kolkata rape and murder case.

By-elections are to be held for six Assembly seats of Sitai (SC), Madarihat (ST) --- in Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri districts in North Bengal, Naihati and Haroa --- in North 24 Parganas, Medinipur in West Midnapore district, and Taldangra in Bankura district. These seats fell vacant as their MLAs contested and won seats in the Lok Sabha this year.

When asked as to whether the doctors' agitation which has found overwhelming support among the women would have any impact on the by-elections, senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said that his party would win all the six seats.

"We will win six out of six … that is a challenge and guarantee and the CPI(M) which is trying to get back its political relevancy by instigating the junior doctors into joining an indefinite fast will come third in all these seats … If they have courage then those senior doctors who have been fixed by the CPI(M) to play this dirty politics should personally contest t he elections and show their acceptability in public," he said.

Another TMC leader however said that though the TMC's image has suffered post RG Kar movement "there are instances when we have bounced back … they tried to malign us in the name of Sharada, Narada and teachers' recruitment scams but every time the people have reposed faith in the leadership of Mamata Banerjee … this time also the people will choose the candidates fielded by her."

Another TMC leader and a former MP said that his party should consider itself lucky that the by-elections were not taking place in and around Kolkata or what he called "hardcore urban centres." He said, "we have suffered image issues in the urban electorate but the rural electorate, particularly the Muslims are firmly with us … which means we will win handsdown."