‘This is BJP’s plan’: Mamata asks party leaders not to abandon counting centres

As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) surged ahead in the early hours of counting of votes, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee asked her party’s counting agents not to lose hope and abandon their posts, promising them that the TMC would emerge victorious by evening.

“I would request the counting agents and candidates not to leave the counting centres. This is BJP’s plan. I have been telling since yesterday that the results of those booths where the BJP was expected to take the lead would be flashed first. Results of booths where the TMC is expected to win would be aired later. In many areas counting has been stopped after the first two to three rounds,” Banerjee said in a video message.

The BJP took a lead in 192 assembly seats and the ruling TMC was ahead in 96, around 1.30pm on Monday. Several prominent TMC leaders were trailing and celebrations started outside the BJP’s office in Kolkata.

“There is nothing to feel dejected about. Didn’t I tell you that you will win after sunset? Trends of only 3-4 rounds of counting have come in. There would be at least 18 rounds of counting. Then you will win. Wait and see. We are all with you. There is nothing to fear. Be rest assured. We will fight like a tiger,” she added.

152 assembly seats went to polls on April 23 in the first phase, while elections for 142 assembly seats were held on April 29.

Counting started on Monday at 8am across 77 centres amid heightened security. Initially the postal ballots were counted, followed by the counting of votes in electronic voting machines (EVMs) at 8.30am.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) ordered a repoll in the Falta assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district based on allegations of EVM tampering. The repolling is scheduled on May 21, and votes will be counted on May 24.

In 2021, the TMC won 215 seats and the BJP had won 77 seats.

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TMC, which came to power in 2011 ousting the 34-year-old Left Front regime, is seeking a fourth term in a row under the leadership of sitting chief minister Banerjee. The BJP claimed to wipe out the TMC this time.

“The central forces are resorting to atrocities against TMC workers and the party offices are being ransacked. They are trying to capture forcefully. In the name of SIR [special intensive revision] votes were looted so that they (BJP) may win. There are around 70 – 100 seats where TMC is leading, but the trends of those seats are not being flashed,” Banerjee said.

After two rounds of counting in Bhabanipur, Banerjee was trailing by 1558 votes, she took a lead of 17,371 votes after the seventh round. BJP has fielded Suvendu Adhikari to challenge Banerjee.