TMC sweeps Bengal, Modi congratulates Mamata

Express Web Desk | Chennai, Guwahati, Kochi, Kolkata, New Delhi | May 3, 2021 :The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) pulled off a spectacular victory in a high-stakes electoral battle, trouncing BJP to form the government for a third consecutive term in West Bengal. As per the latest data from the Election Commission, TMC is on its course to win over 210 seats in a 294-member Assembly, while BJP is likely to win 77 seats. In the hotly contested Nandigram seat, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari defeated his former party chief Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram. However, Mamata has moved the Election Commission requesting recounting of votes in the constituency.

In Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin is set to become the state Chief Minister with the DMK-led alliance leading in at least 145 seats. In Kerala, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government scripted history by retaining power, the first time in four decades that the same grouping will form the government for the second consecutive time. The CPM-led LDF alliance is projected to win around 97 seats in the 140-member assembly, while the Congress-led UDF alliance had a dismal performance as it is expected to grab only 43 seats.

For the BJP, Assam emerged as the lone bright spot with the ruling NDA projected to win 77 of 126 seats to retain power in the state. Meanwhile, in Puducherry, the NDA looked set to form the government with NR Congress winning eight seats and its ally BJP securing four seats in the 30-member House.

The elections were held amid a surge in Covid-19 cases across the country – a second wave that has ridden the country to an unprecedented crisis. You can therefore expect the results this time to be much slower.