BIG WINNERS
Sandipan Saha (TMC)
Ward: 52 (Taltala)
Margin: 5,052
Why big: The only IIM graduate in the fray, he is also the son of Trinamul MLA Swarnakamal Saha.
Quote unquote: “Considering the Trinamul’s lead in the 2014 by-elections (only around 1,100), I am more than happy with my margin.”
Rinku Naskar (CPM)
Ward: 102 (Santoshpur)
Margin: 2,230
Why big: The youngest candidate of the CPM. Her victory is significant at a time when the party is struggling to find acceptance among the youth.
Quote unquote: “People have faith in my party and they have supported me. Now, I will have to meet their expectations.”
Meena Purohit (BJP)
Ward: 22 (Posta)
Margin: 3,899
Why big: A former deputy mayor, she has been winning since 1995. A popular face in the Burrabazar area, she withered strong opposition from Trinamul’s Dinesh Bajaj and managed to retain her seat for the fifth time.
Quote unquote: “When people of my area want me to win then how can the Trinamul defeat me?”
Smita Bakshi (TMC)
Ward: 25 (Girish Park, Singhibagan and parts of Posta)
Margin: 2,136
Why big: MLA-cum-councillor and wife of TMC leader Sanjay Bakshi, she was accused of unleashing goons on polling day. In her ward, a sub-inspector was shot at after polling.
Quote unquote: “People’s verdict is what matters. Political opponents say a lot of things most of which are not true.”
Mohan Gupta (Independent)
Ward: 17 (Parts of Beadon Street)
Margin: 1,633
Why big: One of the three Independent candidates to win in the CMC polls. He defeated member,
mayor-in-council, of the last board, Trinamul’s Partha Pratim Hazari.
Quote unquote: “I took on Trinamul, CPM and BJP and defeated everyone.”
Shams Iqbal (TMC)
Ward: 134 (Garden Reach)
Margin: 12,580
Why big: Son of Mohammad Iqbal Munna, who is accused in a case in which a police inspector was killed in a clash over student union elections at Harimohan Ghose College in February 2013.
Quote unquote: “I will continue to serve the people of my ward like my father did for the past five years.”
Bapi Ghosh (BJP)
Ward: 7 (Bagbazar)
Margin: 296
Why big: Defeated veteran CPM candidate Salil Chatterjee. First BJP candidate elected in boroughs 1, 2 and 3.
Quote unquote: “People in my ward have seen the Left and the Trinamul but now they want a new party and a new face.”
Ashim Bose (BJP)
Ward: 70 (portions of Chetla and Alipore)
Margin: 1,990
Why big: Defeated Mamata Banerjee’s election agent and Calcutta Municipal Corporation chairman Satchidananda Banerjee.
Quote unquote: “Despite rigging and terrorising voters and opponents, Trinamul could not change the verdict of the people.”
Md. Anwar Khan (Independent)
Ward: 80 (Kidderpore)
Margin: 150
Why big: A debutant who shocked Trinamul heavyweight and three-time councillor Hema Ram, wife of veteran leader Ram Pyare Ram and BJP candidate.
Quote unquote: “There has been no development in our area. That is why even as Trinamul denied me a ticket, I fought as an Independent candidate with support from the local people. I did not defeat Trinamul the party but the Trinamul candidate and checked the upsurge of the BJP in our area.”
Shamima Rehan Khan (Forward Bloc)
Ward: 77 (Ekbalpore)
Margin: 5,600
Why big: She won from a ward that is part of Mamata Banerjee’s Assembly constituency.
Quote unquote: “For five years, I worked hard for the people. I would interact with them every day and try to solve their problems to the best of my abilities. On April 18, they rewarded me for my hard work.”
Karuna Sengupta (CPI)
Ward: 10 (Shyampukur)
Margin: 3,502
Why: She is the only Left Front candidate to win in the northern part of the city. Since Independence, the CPI has retained the ward.
Reaction: “Against all odds and the ruling party’s muscle power, the people of my area supported me.”
BIG LOSERS
Dinesh Bajaj (TMC)
Ward: 22 (Posta)
Margin: 3,899
Why big: A prominent face of the Trinamul from the business community.
Quote unquote: “I accept the people’s verdict. During my campaign, I learnt about the problems of Burrabazar and I will try to solve them. I am in politics because of Mamata Banerjee and I will keep following her instructions.”
Farzana Alam (TMC)
Ward: 65 (parts of Ballygunge)
Margin: 9,450
Why big: She is the deputy mayor.
Quote unquote: “The party defeated me. The mayor changed my seat and put me in a ward where the workers were extremely unhelpful.”
Satchidananda Banerjee (TMC)
Ward: 70 (portions of Chetla and Alipore)
Margin: 1,990
Why big: Mamata Banerjee’s election agent and chairman of the CMC.
Quote unquote: “I accept the people’s verdict. I may not have won but I am glad that Trinamul has done so well.”
Paresh Pal (TMC)
Ward: 29 (parts of Narkeldanga and Maniktala)
Margin: 8,264
Why big: A strongman of the area who successfully took on the CPM even in its heydays.
Quote unquote: “It is no big deal. Such things keep happening in politics.”
Rupa Bagchi (CPM)
Ward: 32 (Maniktala)
Margin: 4,605
Why: Face of the party in the CMC.
Reaction: “Votes were looted in the booths and it was a rape of democracy.”
Tanima Chatterjee (TMC)
Ward: 87 (Deshapriya Park)
Margin: 327 votes
Why Big: Sister of former mayor Subrata Mukherjee, she fought from a ward in the Rashbehari Assembly constituency, a Trinamul fief.
Quote unquote: “A significant portion of the Left votes went to the BJP. I lost because the Left couldn't retain its votes.”
Sudhangshu Seal (CPM)
Ward: 30 (Ahiritolla)
Margin: 4,696
Why: Winning since 1990, once the CPM’s most acceptable face in north.
Quote unquote: “I had expected this. The ruling party conducted the poll with assistance from the police.”
Poornima Kothari (BJP)
Ward: 24 (Jorabagan in north Calcutta)
Margin: 894
Why big: In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP led by over 2,000 votes here.
Quote unquote: “There was massive rigging by the Trinamul. The voters were terrorised and sent away from the booths. If the elections had been fair, I would have won.”
Compiled by Pronab Mondal and Zeeshan Jawed
