In the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), 58 candidates of the elected 141 are women. While 38 candidates of the Trinamool Congress have emerged victorious, among the Left parties, 13 of the elected 33 are CPM women.

Even for parties that have not bagged too many seats, women are adequately represented. Five of the 10 Congress ouncillors are women. So are two of the three BJP councillors.

The percentage of women elected in KMC is over 41 — though only 33 per cent seats were reserved for them.

In case of Salt Lake, the corresponding figure is 56 per cent — 14 of the 25 councillors are women — paving the way for a woman chairperson, Anita Mondal. While 9 of the 16 Trinamool councillors are women, five of the elected nine representatives of CPM are women.

At KMC, the Trinamool has nominated Farzana Alam, councillor from

ward 28, Rajabazar, as the Deputy Mayor.

“I see this as a unique opportunity for women,” said Sushmita Bhattacharya, Trinamool Councillor from ward no 63. “Our party is led by a woman and our slogan — Maa, Mati Manush — also highlights motherhood and womanhood. These results signify that women are not going to take a backseat in politics and the opportune moment has come.”

“The results have come as eye opener to people and the misconception that women will not be elected has been done away with. In public life, women have more integrity than men and this has been proved across party lines,” said Chandana Ghosh Dastidar,CPM councillor in KMC.