Sangh Parivar

Kolkata, July 2: After
last month's panchayat poll, the CPI-M in West Bengal suffered yet
another setback on Wednesday losing three of 13 municipalities to
Trinamool Congress and another to Congress in the civic elections.

The Front, which controlled nine earlier, managed to
retain only five - Panihati, Burdwan, Chakdah (CPI-M), Balurghat (RSP)
and Mekhligunj (FB).

The CPI-M lost Guskara, Habra, Midnapore to TC and Dalkhola to Congress.

The most impressive win by the Trinamool Congress
was in Guskara in Burdwan district regarded as the CPI-M's stronghold
where it secured eight of the 15 seats. BJP bagged two and the Front
won five.

TC also won 11 of the 23 seats in Habra
municipality in North 24 Parganas district where the party had fared
well in the recent panchayat election while Congress bagged 1. The Left
Front secured 10 seats and an independent won 1.

Although the LF won the panchayat poll in West
Midnapore district, it lost the municipality in Midnapore, the district
headquarter. TC bagged 9 seats and Congress 4, while the LF won 6 and
independents 4.

TC which had controlled Diamond Harbour in South
24 Parganas with the support of Congress earlier, strengthened its
position securing 11 of the 16 seats. Congress bagged 1 the BJP 2 and
LF 1 and independents one each.

The Congress, on the other hand, wrested Dalkhola
municipality from the LF bagging 9 of the 14 seats retaining Haldibari
and Alipurduar. It also emerged the single largest party in Dubrajpur
in Birbhum district winning 6 of the 15 seats while TC got 1,
independent 1 and BJP 2.