KOLKATA — The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading by a wide margin in vote counting in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly election. If Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress ultimately loses, it would be a major blow for the once-formidable party. Banerjee, 71, is a fiery politician known as “Didi,” or elder sister, and is also called “Agnikanya,” or daughter of fire. Under her leadership, the Trinamool Congress in 2011 defeated West Bengal’s 34-year-old Left Front government, the world’s longest-running democratically elected communist government.
Banerjee led a protest movement against the acquisition of farmland for special economic zones in West Bengal.
In this election, Banerjee faces what many describe as the hardest fight of her life. She has a combative style and strong communication with leaders across every Trinamool unit.
The Trinamool Congress came to power in 2011, ending decades of Left Front rule in West Bengal. It won 227 of the state’s 294 seats, with 184 on its own, forming the government. Banerjee has dominated West Bengal politics ever since.
This time, however, Banerjee faced a far more aggressive and organized BJP campaign, turning the contest into a tight fight between the two parties.
Several exit polls had pointed to a close race.
Although the Trinamool Congress was trailing the BJP, Chief Minister Banerjee said she and her party were not prepared to accept defeat.
In a video message, she said no counting agent should leave the counting centers. The Trinamool Congress was still ahead in 70 to 100 seats that were not being shown, she said. She claimed the election results were “feeding people a complete lie.” She also said the Election Commission was “playing as it pleases” with central forces.
The Trinamool leader said: “I have been saying this from the start. They (the BJP) will show their seats first, then they will show the seats we (the Trinamool) have won.” She said the Trinamool would win “after sunset.” She also called on party leaders, workers and agents at counting centers to “fight like tiger cubs.”
Early results in the West Bengal Assembly election show a tight fight between the ruling Trinamool and the opposition BJP. So far, in early results from 211 of the 293 seats, the BJP is leading in 105 and the Trinamool in 103.
If the Trinamool ultimately loses the election, it will mark the beginning of a shift in West Bengal politics, analysts said.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report