TMC races ahead in West Bengal panchayat polls

The ruling Trinamool Congress is headed for a massive victory in West Bengal's rural polls, bagging 20,848 seats in the three-tier polls, while the BJP emerged as its main rival, according to the results declared till 1 am.

State Election Commission sources said the TMC was ahead in another 148 gram panchayat seats for which counting was in progress.

The BJP has won 5,636 seats and is leading in 21 seats.

The CPI(M) slipped to the third position from the second place it had occupied in the last panchayat polls in 2013. It won 1,461 gram panchayat seats and was ahead in another 10, the



sources said.

The Congress is at the fourth position by winning 1,033 seats and leading in 10, a score lower than that of even Independents, who won 1,794 gram panchayat seats and were leading in 18 seats.

The TMC outraced others in panchayat samiti seats and Zilla parishads too.

Widespread violence during the polls claimed at least 12 lives and left 43 injured. The CPI(M) and the Congress dubbed the election a "farce".

The counting of votes which began at 8 am on May 17 was still on till reports last came in.