New Delhi: After eight-phased Assembly polls in West Bengal ended on April 29, the results will finally come out on Sunday with the Election Commission began counting of votes at 8 am today.
While Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) is seeking to seize power for the third consecutive term, the BJP is making claims of winning 200 seats in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly. The power-packed campaigns by the main contenders – the Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), involved rallies with large participations and mega roadshows. The third front i.e. the coalition of the Congress, Left Front and Indian Secular Force seemed to be on the back foot when it came to campaigning.
HIGHLIGHTS
# CM Mamata Banerjee says will move court against ‘mischief’ in Nandigram
# I accept the verdict. But I will move the Court because I have information that after the declaration of results there were some manipulations done and I will reveal those: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee
#WATCH | Don’t worry for Nandigram, for struggle you have to sacrifice something. I struggled for Nandigram because I fought a movement. It’s ok. Let the Nandigram people give whatever verdict they want, I accept that: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee pic.twitter.com/ZHvtz991Vb
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2021
The counting process for Nandigram has not been completed. Please do not speculate.
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) May 2, 2021
# Don’t worry about Nandigram, I struggled for Nandigram because I fought a movement. It’s ok. Let the Nandigram people give whatever verdict they want, I accept that. I don’t mind. We won more than 221 seats & BJP has lost the election: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee
# BJP has lost the elections. They played dirty politics. We faced the horror of Election Commission: West Bengal CM and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee
# We are grateful to the people for this landslide victory. I have to start working for COVID19 immediately. The swearing-in will be a low-key event because of the prevailing COVID19 situation: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee
This is BIG.
Mamata Banerjee, the sitting Chief Minister, loses Nandigram.
BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari wins by 1,622 votes.
After this crushing defeat what moral authority will Mamata Banerjee have to retain her Chief Ministership?
Her defeat is a taint on TMC’s victory…
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) May 2, 2021
# This is a victory for Bengal, for the people of Bengal: Mamata to party supporters after trends indicate TMC heading for a huge win
# I would like to thank everyone. I request all to not take out victory processions. I urge everyone to go back to their homes now. I will address the media after 6pm: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee
# BJP candidate from Nandigram, Suvendu Adhikari leads by 6 votes after the 16th round of counting
# I was always telling the press that Mamata Banerjee will be CM for the 3rd time. BJP tried their best to crack but they didn’t succeed. The Left has now vanished from West Bengal due to their wrong policy of taking a communal force against a communal force: Firhad Hakim, TMC
# ECI takes serious note of reports coming in of congregation(s) of people to celebrate anticipated victory. EC has directed Chief Secretaries of all 5 states to file FIR in each such case, suspend concerned SHO and report action taken immediately of each such incidence: ECI
#WATCH | Celebrations by TMC supporters begin in Asansol as official trends show the party leading on 202 seats so far. The Election Commission has banned any victory procession amid the #COVID19 situation in the country.#WestBengalElections2021 pic.twitter.com/2sEtXI7mF6
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2021
#WATCH TMC supporters celebrate at Kalighat, Kolkata as party leads on 202 seats as per official trends#WestBengalElections2021 pic.twitter.com/iiOyPhf8be
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2021
# Official trends for 284 seats | Trinamool Congress leading on 202 seats, BJP leading on 77 TMC supporters celebrate in Kolkata as party leads on 202 seats
# TMC’s Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay leading from Bhabanipur constituency.
# Suvendu Adhikari, BJP candidate from Nandigram continues to lead from the Assembly constituency
# Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and PWD Minister Aroop Biswas is leading from Tollygunge assembly constituency, which has witnessed a high-stake battle this time, while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister Babul Supriyo is trailing.
# Official trends for 253 seats | TMC leading on 166 seats, BJP leading on 83
# TMC candidates Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay & Firhad Hakim leading from Bhabanipur & Kolkata Port seats respectively, according to initial trends.
# Too early to say anything because there are so many rounds. Situation will be clear only by evening. We had started from 3 & were challenged that we won’t get even 100, we have crossed that mark. We will cross the magic number too: Kailash Vijayvargiya, BJP
# Official trends for 172 seats | TMC leading on 112 seats, BJP on 58
# TMC leading on 68 seats, BJP on 36
# BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari leading from Nandigram
# Official trends for West Bengal Elections | TMC leading on 7 seats, BJP leading on 3
#Official trends for West Bengal Elections | TMC leading on 2 and BJP leading on 1 seat.
#Official trends for West Bengal Elections | TMC leading on one seat.
# West Bengal: Gopal Som, a counting agent of Congress candidate from Panihati (North 24 Parganas), Tapas Majumder, was taken to a hospital after he fell unconscious at the counting centre.
# Counting of votes beings
The ambitious BJP did intense campaigning with the goal to topple the incumbent TMC government in the state. To continue its stride in Bengal especially after an overwhelming result in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in the state, the party brought Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party president JP Nadda and many others for campaigning.
Bengal has the highest 294 seats and saw a fierce contest between the ruling Trinamool Congress and BJP across eight phases. The Samyukta Morcha comprising the Congress, Left parties and ISF has also tried to put up a strong fight. While the last two phases of Bengal elections saw subdued campaigning due to the sudden rise in coronavirus cases in the country, the first six phases saw the constant exchange of barbs between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and BJP leaders.
The BJP has made a concerted attempt to dislodge the TMC. BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and party chief JP Nadda held several rallies across the state. The Trinamool Congress has been in power in the state since 2011. Several TMC leaders joined the BJP in the run-up to the elections and Mamata Banerjee contested Nandigram against her former ministerial colleague Suvendu Adhikari.
