TMC looks set to retain power for third time in West Bengal, CM Mamata Banerjee may lose Nandigram battle to Suvendu Adhikari

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.

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee looks set to retain power for a third straight term with her party Trinamool Congress crossing the halfway mark in the closely contested assembly election 2021 in the state, the trends suggested after early hours of counting of votes on Sunday (May 2, 2021).

The Trinamool Congress was currently leading in 194 seats, while the BJP was leading in 81 seats around 12 noon. Belying expectations of a tight contest, the TMC candidates appeared galloping to victory, and, if the current trends hold, the party will easily form its third successive government in the state. However, for the most part of early trends, both parties were neck and neck as the latest leads continue to come in. 

However, the Chief Minister herself was trailing in Nandigram by over 8,000 votes, according to the trends. Banerjee has contesting against her BJP rival Suvendhu Adhikari, her ex-aide, whose December defection triggered a flood of exits from the Trinamool Congress.

Counting of votes for the West Bengal Assembly elections began at 8 AM on Sunday amid strict health protocols, as it is taking place amid a raging second wave of COVID-19. People across the country have their eyes fixed on the West Bengal election 2021 results as the BJP looks to break into the Opposition’s last bastion in the East.

The early trends showed that though chief minister Mamata Banerjee was trailing behind BJP`s Suvendu Adhikary in Nandigram, the ruling Trinamool Congress is having an edge over the BJP. The initial trends of 292 seats show that the Trinamool is leading in 194 seats while the BJP was leading in 81 seats and the Congress + on 1 seats.

The 2021 assembly election has been a major test for the ruling Trinamool Congress as the saffron brigade had put in all its might to make its footmark for the first time in West Bengal. But if early trends are taken as an indication, then Mamata Banerjee seems to have an edge over her rival.

United Front - an alliance of Left Front, Congress and the newly formed Indian Secular Front, failed miserably.

There was no election in two assembly constituencies as the respective candidates died before the polls. 

On the other hand, Trinamool heavyweights like state education minister Partha Chatterjee, PWD minister Arup Biswas, power minister Sovondeb Chattopadhayay and panchayat minister Subtrata Mukherjee were leading from their respective constituencies but tourism minister Goutam Deb was trailing till the last report came in.

Two of the BJP Lok Sabha MPs Babul Supriyo, a minister in the Narendra Modi government, and Locket Chatterjee, were trailing in Tollygunge and Chuunchura seats. Supriyo represents Asansol and Chatterjee Hooghly seat in the Lok Sabha.

However, BJP MP from Cooch Behar Nishith Pramanik was leading in Dinahata. Firhad Hakim, a state minister and Banerjee confidante, was also leading.

The ambitious BJP did intense campaigning with the goal to topple the incumbent TMC government in the state. To continue its stride in Bengal especially after an overwhelming result in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in the state, the party brought Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party president JP Nadda and many others for campaigning.

‘Tolabaazi’’ (extortion), `cut money`, syndicate raj and appeasement politics were a few topics over which the BJP targeted the ruling TMC. Mamata chose Nandigram over her home turf Bhabanipur seat this time to test her fate in the 2021 elections. 

Several exit poll surveys gave an edge to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). In West Bengal, all exit polls predicted that the BJP would make major inroads and a few also said that the party would emerge victoriously.  

Times Now-C voter exit poll predicted 158 seats for TMC, 115 for BJP and 19 for others. ABP-C Voter predicted TMC to get 152-164 seats, BJP 109-121 seats and Left-Congress alliance 14-25 seats. According to the Republic-CNX exit poll, BJP with 138-148 seats has an edge over TMC which is predicted to get 128-138 seats. 

As per India TV- People`s Pulse, BJP is expected to get 173-192 seats while TMC will be reduced to 64-88 seats and the Left-Congress alliance will get 7-12 seats. Axis My India predicted a hung assembly in Bengal with the ruling TMC expected to get 130-156 seats and BJP 134-160 seats.