The BJP may have 77 MLAs, making it the primary Opposition party in Bengal in 2021, but its charge against Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamul Congress in the Assembly will have to be led by former Trinamul leaders, a prospect that is making the saffron camp deeply uncomfortable.
Although only a handful of Trinamul defectors to the BJP could make it to the Assembly this time, only Suvendu Adhikary and Mukul Roy carry enough political acumen and experience to take on a firebrand leader like chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
After all, they were both part of Mamata’s inner circle when they were with Trinamul.
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Sajjan Kumar 07 May 2021, Last Updated at 6:13 pm Sandipan Chatterjee/Outlook outlookindia.com 2021-05-08T18:13:10+05:30
Indian democracy veers around personalities. The popular leaders emerge as political anchors who help translate public sentiment into a positive vote. Conversely, they successfully help override anti-incumbency against their party by making the political arena a biographical phenomenon around themselves. This explains the victory of the BJP in Assam, of the CPI(M) in Kerala and of the DMK alliance in Tamil Nadu and the AINRC-led alliance in Puducherry.
The Trinamool Congress was currently leading in 168 seats, while the BJP was leading in 101 seats at 11. 25 AM. However, for the most part of early trends, both parties were neck and neck as the latest leads continue to come in.
It is too early to say anything decisively, indeed, as the counting has begun after the polls in five states including Pondicherry. However, the early leads point to Trinamool leading with the BJP close behind.
Ironically, same is the trend in other states too. The exit polls have by and large given clear and comfortable victories to the LDF, DMK alliance and Trinamool Congressl in the assembly polls in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal with the Assam results locked in a close battle, where the BJP is poised to win. It has been argued that the Pinarayi Vijayan government led by the CPM will make a historic record in Kerala by winning two terms consecutively, while MK Stalin will become the first-time chief minister of Tamil Nadu, after decisively routing the AIADMK-BJP alliance in Tamil Nadu, in an era marked by the absence of late stalwarts, J Jayalalitha and M Karunanidhi.
‘Wheelchair’ takes Mamata to power in Bengal for 3rd term
The initial trends of 292 seats show that the Trinamool Congress is leading in 189 seats while the BJP is leading in 98 seats
Sunday May 2, 2021 11:13 AM, ummid.com with inputs from IANS
Kolkata: The incumbent Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee is all set to conquer the state for the 3rd consecutive term, according to the latest trends released by the Election Commission Sunday morning.
The initial trends of 292 seats show that the Trinamool Congress is leading in 192 seats while the BJP is leading in 95 seats and the United Front (Sanjukta Morcha) is leading in rest of the 5 seats.