Kolkata: Celebrations broke out outside the official residence of Mamata Banerjee shortly after early trends show a surge for the rulling TMC ahead of the Left-Congress alliance in the state.
Hours after counting of votes began on Thursday for the 294 seats of West Bengal Assembly across 90 venues spread all over the state, Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress seems to retain its power in Bengal which hinted Mamata's come back in the state for second term as the Chief Minister.
On expected lines, the Trinamool was sweeping all across West Bengal as officials counted the millions of votes polled in the staggered assembly elections. Its candidates led in 199 of the 289 places where trends were available two hours after the vote count began at 8 am.
The Left and the Congress were at a distant second spot, leading in 37 and 41 constituencies respectively. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was leading in 12 places. The West Bengal legislature has 294 members.
Here's how celebrations took place:
Enthusiastic supporters gathered outside her Kalighat residence here today morning to celebrate Mamata's premature win as the poll charts hinted her come back in the state for second term as the Chief Minister.
Kolkata: Celebrations outside Mamata Banerjee's residence after early trends show her leading by over 3000 votes pic.twitter.com/302uF0Y5cu
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 19, 2016
#RealBengal Real Stories: Didi posts multiple videos on FB | https://t.co/F9df2p1fZM#BengalPolls #AITCWinning pic.twitter.com/SGNi2RxYNK
— AITC (@AITCofficial) April 15, 2016
Slogan like 'Thanda thanda cool, cool; ghore ghore Trinamool' was heard outside Banerjee's residence as hundreds of TMC supporters thronged the Chief Minister's residence at Harish Chatterjee Street in Kalighat.
Elections in the state were held in six-phases beginning from April 4 with 1,961 candidates including 198 women in the fray.
In the two parts of first phase elections, the voter turnout was 84.22% and over 83 percent respectively.
In the second phase, 79.70 percent people exercised their right to vote.
A series of clashes between political rivals broke out during the third phase, but the violence failed to deter the electors who thronged the polling booths, recording a 79.22 percent voter turnout.
In the fourth phase, the voting percentage was 78.05 percent. In the fifth phase 78.25 percent of voters exercised their franchise while the sixth and final phase once again witnessed around 84.24 percent of polling.
Elections were held in the five states - Assam, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala and Puducherry - over April and May. Votes are being counted for all five today.
