KOLKATA: The saffron surge in the Bengal assembly elections, which swept the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power for the first time in the state, saw the party leading in 102 of the 144 wards of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC). This development has fueled speculation about how long the Trinamool Congress (TMC) can hold on to the civic body.
Current KMC Board and Tenure
The tenure of the current KMC board, which has been under TMC control since 2010, ends in December 2026. However, a BJP functionary stated that party seniors are weighing the option of advancing KMC polls to capitalize on the saffron surge in the city.
Current Composition of KMC
Currently, the KMC has 134 councillors from TMC and only three from BJP. The remaining seats are held by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Congress, or independents. In the 2021 assembly elections, TMC was ahead in 131 wards and BJP in 12. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's party sustained the momentum of that victory and was voted back to office with a huge majority in the KMC polls held in December of that year.
Growing BJP Footprint
BJP's footprint in Kolkata has been growing since then, as evidenced in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. In those elections, TMC led the race in 96 wards, down from the 134 it won in the 2021 civic elections, while BJP was ahead in 46 wards, up from just three. Kolkata's 144 wards are spread across 17 assembly constituencies. Of these, BJP won 10 seats and TMC seven in the recently concluded assembly polls. In contrast, during the 2021 assembly elections, all 17 seats in the KMC area were won by TMC.
