The bypoll results announced on Wednesday covered two seats that fell vacant because two councillors in two municipalities were murdered on the same day in March.

Congress candidate Mithun Kandu won from Purulia’s Jhalda and Trinamul’s Minakshi Dutta from North 24-Parganas’ Panihati.

Mithun is a nephew of Congress leader Tapan Kandu who won the February 27 civic polls from Jhalda ward 2 but was shot dead on March 13.

Minakshi is the widow of Trinamul councillor Anupam Dutta who was shot dead on the night of March 13. Minakshi won on Wednesday by defeating her CPM rival Surajit Mukherjee by 2,278 votes.

Minakshi said: “My husband’s demise is an irreparable loss but this win has to some extent healed the pain.”

The Congress had accused Trinamul of orchestrating Tapan’s murder as he had refused to switch sides and tilt the scales in the hung Jhalda municipality. Trinamul formed the municipal board on April 5.

Mithun’s victory has pushed up the number of Congress councillors to five again — the same as Trinamul. Two Independents will now hold the key.