Sources in the TMC, however, said that a final call on holding the local elections will be taken by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
“We are ready to conduct the election in the 15 civic bodies. But first, the decision should come from the state government. Let that come, then we will start our work immediately,” a senior official of State Election Commission told The Indian Express.
One of the 15 civic bodies where elections are due is Howrah. The Assembly had passed The Howrah Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill in 2021, carving out Bally municipality from Howrah Municipal Corporation. But the Governor is yet to give his assent to the Bill. As a result, the election has not been held in Howrah Municipal Corporation since 2020.
Durgapur Municipal Corporation is being run by an administrator for over two years and so does Coopers Camp in Nadia district.
According to the sources in the TMC, the party leadership is of the opinion that elections in these civic bodies should be held soon since the development work has stopped as they do not have elected bodies and are being run by administrators. Also, with the Assembly elections just two years away in the state, it would not be possible to initiate development projects without an elected body in these municipalities.
“It is not very healthy to run civic bodies with administrator instead of elected bodies. It is not only undemocratic but also hamper development works,” a senior TMC leader said. “There are almost 120 total civic bodies in the state. After the BJP won 18 seats in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, our party hesitated to conduct election in the civic bodies. After the party’s landslide victory in the 2021 Assembly elections, elections to the 105 civic bodies election were conducted. Since then, 15 civic bodies have completed its tenure. Now, we have got a thumping victory in the Lok Sabha election. So, party is mulling to hold elections in the rest of the civic bodies,” the party leader added.
Another TMC said, “The party realised that people are not happy with service of the civic bodies and it is not possible to give service without elected bodies. That is why we are pushing for early elections in rest of the 15 civic bodies so that we can give people proper service.”
Despite the party’s impressive win in the Lok Sabha elections – winning 29 of the 42 seats, improving the 2019 tally by seven seats — the TMC trailed the BJP in several civic bodies.
At an administrative review meeting just after the Lok Sabha elections, Chief Minister Banerjee had pulled up the administrators of the civic bodies, saying her government would not take a “bad name” for the “actions of some individuals and municipalities”. This will also be taken into account while taking a call on holding the local polls, said a TMC leader.