The Trinamool Congress (TMC) demonstrated its political dominance in West Bengal by clinching all six Assembly seats in Saturday’s by-elections. The victory was particularly notable in Sitai (north Bengal) and Haroa (south Bengal), where TMC candidates secured commanding leads of over 100,000 votes.
The by-elections, held on November 13, were necessitated after several MLAs resigned following their success in the recent Lok Sabha elections. In a significant political shift, TMC not only retained five of its Assembly seats but also wrested control of Madarihat from the BJP – a constituency that had been a BJP stronghold in both the 2016 and 2021 Assembly elections.
This electoral triumph came at a crucial time for the TMC, as the party faced public scrutiny over the tragic rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the victim was found in the emergency building’s seminar room on August 9.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee celebrated the victory on social media, thanking the people of West Bengal through her signature slogan “Maa, Mati, Manush” (Mother, Soil, People). “Your support empowers us to continue our service to the people,” she wrote, adding, “We are the guardians of the populace, not landlords.”
TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee also celebrated the victory, congratulating the winning candidates: Sangita Roy, Jayprakash Toppo, Sanat Dey, Rabiul Islam, Sujoy Hazra, and Falguni Singhababu, who each defeated their BJP opponents.
