CALCUTTA, 17 October 2004 — In a clean sweep, the ruling Left Front won all three assembly by-elections in the West Bengal capital, Calcutta, where votes were counted and results announced yesterday.
Left Front candidates defeated their rivals belonging to the Trinamool Congress and the Congress party in Jorabagan, Shyampukur and Entally state legislative assembly constituencies.
The voters’ verdict is a major blow to Mamata Banerjee’s tottering Trinamool Congress which is in the doldrums after its dismal performance in the April-May parliamentary elections.
In two assembly seats — Jorabagan and Entally — where by-elections were held, Trinamool Congress candidates trailed behind the Congress party highlighting Trinamool’s sliding fortunes.
The Left Front’s overwhelming supremacy is evident from the fact that no Trinamool Congress or Congress party candidate managed to poll more than 10,000 votes in any seat.
Among victorious candidates two belong to the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist).
