Mamata dedicates rural poll win to the people

After the ruling Trinamool Congress' emphatic triumph in the West Bengal rural polls, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday said despite conspiracies by rivals and central agencies, her party passed the 'agnipariksha' of the people's confidence and trust.

"This time we fought it all alone. The Congress, CPi-M and BJP all worked together. But the results have proved again that the mandate of 'maa-maati-manush' (mother-soil-people) has been on our side and helped us pass the 'agnipariksha' of people's confidence and trust," said Banerjee on a social networking site.

With the Trinamool bagging 13 of the 17 zila parishads (district councils), Banerjee dedicated the win to the rural people.

"Against all odds and against all sorts of conspiracy, negativism, criticism, misinformation and machinations perpetrated by different political parties, central agencies, and other bodies, we emerged with flying colours due to the massive mandate of the people."

"This is the victory of the people. I dedicate this victory to the people of Bengal," said Banerjee.

"I am happy to see that the people of Jangalmahal have blessed us. We have received 100 percent mandate," she said about Maoist affected areas of the state.

"We have wiped out the Left in almost all their strong bastions in Burdwan, Birbhum, Paschim Midnapore, Purba Midnapur, Coochbihar, Hooghly, Bankura, Purulia, Dakshin Dinajpur," added Banerjee.

She also claimed that the current polls witnessed the highest number of nominations with 197,428 people filing them as compared to 140,975 in the 2008 elections.

Banerjee added that for the first time, 50 percent of the seats were reserved for women.