Left-Congress alliance wins Haldia dock polls, TMC draws a blank

Kolkata, Mar 26 (PTI) The Left-Congress alliance made a clean sweep in the elections of the Haldia dock institute management committee in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district by trouncing ruling the Trinamool Congress candidates.

The win of the Left-Congress alliance on Saturday assumes significance after the defeat of the TMC in the Sagardighi assembly by-election at the hands of Left supported Congress candidate Byron Biswas recently.

The Left-Congress alliance won 19 out of 19 seats which is significant ahead of the panchayat polls.

Of the 737 electorate, 694 cast their franchise in the high voltage triangular battle between Left-Congress, TMC trade union (INTTUC) and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh which was supported by BJP, an official involved in the election process said.

The permanent employees and officers of the port cast votes.

The total number of candidates in the three panels was 58.

Last time Trinamool Congress had won all the seats in the management committee, but the post of vice president was bagged by the Left. The TMC tasted it’s first defeat after 13 years.

The elections are held every two years.

A spokesperson of the Left union at Haldia dock said this victory shows the way wind is blowing.

This victory is significant and indicative of the good show by both Left and Congress in the coming panchayat polls in Purba Medinipur district which was known to be the stronghold of Trinamool Congress and BJP, he said.

A leader of INTTUC at Haldia dock refused to attach much importance to the election results saying it will not have any impact in the Haldia civic body poll and panchayat poll in coming days.

“The Left Congress and BMS had a tacit understanding to defeat the TMC candidates. Such machinations will not work everywhere,” he said.