IT is not the norm for both major political parties to celebrate at their headquarters following a local government election, but based on the contest of Monday’s polls, political watchers were expecting big “bashments” after the votes were counted.

The People’s National Party (PNP) did not disappoint as its Old Hope Road headquarters was packed with celebrating supporters proud of the preliminary numbers which showed that the party had done well in terms of the number of divisions it had picked up.

The PNP had gone into Monday’s local government election with 98 divisions and while final numbers were not available up to press time, it was clear that the Mark Golding-led party had taken a big chunk out of the 130 divisions held by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) going into the elections.

The PNP also held on to the divisions it had won in 2016 including two divisions which it lost after people who were elected on is ticket in 2016, Kari Douglas in the Trafalgar Division and Venesha Phillips in the Papine Division, crossed the floor to join the JLP.

The preliminary results sparked a major party at Old Hope Road as PNP supporters celebrated what they claimed was the start of their push to regain State power when the next general election, constitutionally due in 2025, is held.

It was a different story at the JLP’s Belmont Road headquarters in New Kingston as a handful of supporters waited until after 10:00 pm to hear from their leaders.

While a disc jockey played popular dancehall tunes, there was no party atmosphere as the Labourities tried to digest the result of the polls.

With a handful of senior party members locked in the office at the headquarters, the JLP supporters at Belmont Road quietly traded stories of events during voting and questioned the loyalty of those who were absent from the premises.

However, later, JLP leader Prime Minister Andrew Holness, arrived to greet his supporters and announce at a news conference that the JLP had won the election.