The Trinamool Congress has scored a decisive victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections, winning 213 of the 292 seats, while the BJP failed to reach the three-digit mark, even though it made massive gains from the 2016 elections.
While the BJP won 77 seats, the Left-Congress-ISF alliance won one, and an Independent grabbed another seat.
After much confusion about the results, BJP's Suvendu Adhikari emerged as winner from the high-profile Nandigram seat over Mamata Banerjee. The incumbent CM said she suspected 'malpractice in the counting process and would take the Election Commission to court, if necessary.”
The counting of votes on Sunday came amid a massive surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths across the country, with severe shortages of hospital beds, medical oxygen, and medicines being reported.
- PM Narendra Modi tweeted congratulating Mamata Banerjee and said the Centre will extend all help to fight COVID-19
- Addressing the TMC workers, Mamata Banerjee urged everyone to avoid victory rallies and reiterated the need for following COVID protocols
- On the day of counting, West Bengal reported 17,515 new COVID-19 cases and 92 deaths
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Swapan Dasgupta Loses Tarakeshwar Constituency
Veteran journalist and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Swapan Dasgupta lost against Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Ramendu Sinharay in the Tarakeshwar assembly constituency.
Big Loss for Babul Supriyo in Tollygunj Seat
Tollygunge was considered by many as one of the toughest seats for the Trinamool, where the BJP fielded singer-turned-politician MP Babul Supriyo against seasoned campaigner Arup Biswas.
After final round of counting, Supriyo was placed in the third position after Biswas and CPIM candidate Debdut Ghosh.
Trinamool Turncoats Fail to Lift BJP in Bengal
Of the 34 Trinamool leaders who had joined the BJP, 13 were given tickets and the majority of them lost, including heavyweights like Rajib Banerjee, Sabyasachi Dutta and Rabindranath Bhattacharjee.
TMC Writes to EC For 'Immediate Recount' of Votes in Nandigram
The Trinamool Congress has written to the chief electoral officer, West Bengal, for, "immediate re-counting of votes in Nandigram AC 210 and postal ballots." It has cited that “preposterous and illegal incidents have taken place while counting of votes was taking place in Nandigram.”