Trinamool ahead in civic polls, BJP relegated to third spot

Left Front emerges stronger, forges ahead of BJP

Early trends show that the Trinamool Congress is set to wrest control in Bengal with leads in 50 of the 91 municipalities.

Currently, trends are available for 66 municipalities and the Left Front has emerged stronger than the last few polls, with leads in 5 municipalities. The surprise, however, is Congress, which is leading in six municipalities. In five of the municipalities, a three-way fight among TMC, Left and BJP is underway.

In the 144-ward Kolkata Municipal Corporation, TMC is leading in 85 wards, the Left is ahead in 12, BJP in nine, and Congress in seven wards.

In 2010, TMC had won in 95 KMC wards. Left Front had won in 32 wards, BJP in three and the Congress in 10.

Opposition leaders said that the trends were along expected lines. "Had the polls been free and fair, results would have been different," BJP and Left leaders said. The polls were marked by widespread violence across the state.