Everyone has to abide by party's selection of candidates for KMC polls: TMC to cadres

Kolkata, Nov 15 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday asked its supporters to abide by its selection of candidates for the upcoming Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) election and called upon everyone to work together to ensure the victory of party candidates.

KMC and Howrah Municipal Corporation are likely to go to the polls on December 19.

"It is quite natural for local leaders to have an aspiration to contest KMC polls. But everyone has to abide by the party's decision. Everybody has to work together to ensure the victory of party candidates," TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said.

According to TMC sources, the party has conducted a survey with the help of Prashant Kishor's I-PAC team to avoid a repeat of a 2018 panchayat poll-like situation, when large scale violence during filing of nominations and infighting was witnessed across West Bengal.

Based on the report, candidates for the civic polls will be selected and strategies formulated.

"The survey has stressed on the performance of the sitting councillors, and Lok Sabha and assembly elections' results in different wards. Feedback from the locals would play an important role in the selection of candidates for the KMC polls," a senior TMC leader said.

The elections to 144-member KMC, along with 112 municipalities and municipal corporations, were due in April-May 2020. However, the polls were postponed due to the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

The state government has decided to first conduct the elections to KMC and Howrah Municipal Corporation in December. These civic bodies are now being run by state-appointed Board of Administrators. PTI PNT ACD ACD