The election to five municipal boards on Friday was concluded amid stray violence and a high rate of polling amid complaints of booth-capturing and rigging by the Opposition left and the Congress.
Howrah Mayor and CPI(M) leader Mamta Jaiswal was reportedly attacked with a bomb and later beaten up allegedly by ruling Trinamool Congress supporters. She had been hospitalised and her condition was serious, CPI (M) State secretary Biman Bose said.
Reports of violence and booth capturing were also reported from parts of Midnapore and Jhargram while State Minister and Trinamool leader Arup Roy said, “The left is trying to hide its prospective rout with such allegations.”
Elections were held to five municipal boards of Howrah, Krishnagar, Behrampore, Midnapore and Jhargram. Bypolls were held for other 29 wards fallen vacant at various places of Kolkata, Salt lake.
While Howrah and Jhargram are currently controlled by the left Front, Krishnagar and Midnapore are held by the Trinamool Congress (in Krishnagar most Congress councillors had switched over to the Trinamool). Behrampore, a stronghold of Union Minister Adhir Chowdhury is currently held by the Congress.
According to sephologists, the Trinamool is expected to win all the municipalities barring Behrampore. About 79 per cent voters cast their votes, SEC sources said.