Early trends show TMC ahead, but BJP keeps up hope in West Bengal
As per the election commission’s website at 11.30am, the TMC was leading in 187 of the 292 seats for which votes were being counted, while the BJP was leading in 84
Initial trends from the counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections showed on Sunday that the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) was leading in 187 seats, but leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said it was too early to ascertain the outcome of the high-voltage polls.
The BJP’s national general secretary and incharge of the state, Kailash Vijayvarghia told news agency ANI: “It is too early to say anything because there are so many rounds.The situation will be clear only by the evening. We had started from three and were challenged that we won’t get even 100; we have crossed that mark. We will cross the magic number too.”
As per the election commission’s website at 11.30am, the TMC was leading in 187 of the 292 seats for which votes were being counted, while the BJP was leading in 84.
The BJP, however, also appeared upbeat about the fact that chief minister Mamata Banerjee was trailing in Nandigram, the battleground where she is taking on her former aide Suvendu Adhikari, who switched sides to the BJP just ahead of the polls. As per the EC website, Adhikari was leading by 8,000 votes in Nandigram.
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The BJP had set itself a target of winning 200-plus seats in the state, where it won just three seats in the 2016 elections. The party fought a hard battle in the state, with senior party leaders camping in West Bengal for months. Union home minister Amit Shah was the chief strategist for the election, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed over a dozen rallies.
“The BJP has put up a good fight. Yes, the initial tends are a little disappointing. But we must hold on as there are over 30 rounds of counting left,” said a senior leader who did not wish to be named.
A senior TMC leader said on condition of anonymity: “The trend is clear. TMC is heading for its third term. In Nandigram, there were some areas where the BJP has its sway. But ultimately Mamata Baneree will have the last laugh.”