According to Mamata Banerjee had the BJP got majority without the help of its allies, the country would have ceased to exist…r.eports Asian Lite News
The people of India, especially those in West Bengal, have broken the backbone of the BJP, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed on Tuesday after the trends coming out of the Election Commission data showed that the Trinamool Congress is heading for victory in 29 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
Overall, the INDIA bloc sprung a surprise even for the pollsters, as most of them predicted a one-sided outcome in favour of the BJP-led NDA. Till the last reports came, the INDIA bloc was leading on 234 seats, while the NDA was ahead of the majority mark with leads on 292 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha.
According to the Chief Minister, had the BJP got majority without the help of its allies, the country would have ceased to exist.
“The NDA is a lost case now. Some other parties might still be considering supporting the BJP, but I will request them not to do so. I think the Modi magic is finished, and he should resign,” the Chief Minister said.
Speaking to mediapersons here, the Chief Minister said that since the BJP has not secured an absolute majority on its own, the coming days will be tough for the party.
“The Prime Minister has lost credibility, he should resign immediately because he had said that this time they would cross 400 seats. I had said that there is a doubt that the BJP would cross even 200 seats. Now they have to hold the feet of Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP.”
“They have already committed enough excesses on us for which we will never forgive them. I think the other allies of the INDIA bloc will also not forgive them” CM Banerjee said.
Referring to the defeat of state Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury from Baharampur, the Chief Minister said that under the camouflage of Congress, he was actually operating on behalf of the BJP.
“The people of Baharampur have rejected him, just as the people of the state have rejected the BJP,” she said.
The Chief Minister also ridiculed the Exit Poll projections that forecast a landslide victory for the BJP.
“Those who made such projections intended to break the morale of the countrymen. I know the sources of these Exit Polls, they were all drafted at the BJP office,” the Chief Minister claimed.
She also launched a scathing attack against the Election Commission of India, saying, “They did everything to break the morale of the opposition leaders. Many legislators were offered money, while many others were threatened.”
Factors that led to TMC’s victory
Several factors played a key role in the Trinamool Congress’ victory in West Bengal, that proved all Exit Poll projections wrong.
Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee’s party bagged 29 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats, hence proving all Exit Poll projections of the BJP’s best-ever performance in the state wrong.
The Muslim voters in the state voted en-mass in favour of Trinamool Congress candidates in all those constituencies in the state where the people from the community constitute a substantial chunk of voters.
At the same time from the results it is evident that the Congress-Left Front alliance could not project itself as a viable alternative and make a significant dent in the dedicated minority vote bank of the Trinamool Congress.
The fact that the Muslim community voted en-mass in favour of the Trinamool Congress is amply evident in Muslim-dominated Murshidabad District, where Trinamool Congress candidates got elected from all the three constituencies.
Even five-time Lok Sabha member and state Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was defeated in the Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency by Trinamool Congress candidate and former Indian cricket team player Yusuf Pathan.
Plus, the BJP’s expectation of consolidation of Hindu votes in its support also fell flat. The party was unable to retain those Hindu-dominated constituencies especially in South Bengal which they won in 2019.
According to political observers, the constant harping by Opposition parties on corruption and turmoil at Sandeshkhali did not impact majority of the voters.
Rather, feel observers, the Trinamool Congress’ campaign accusing the BJP and the Union government of depriving the state government of its legitimate dues under centrally-sponsored schemes had been taken seriously by the voters.
The fourth factor is that the Direct Transfer of Benefits under different social welfare schemes of the state government has helped Trinamool Congress reap the benefits throughout the state.
Observers feel that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s decision to increase the payment under Lakshmir Bhandar, the monthly dole scheme for women in the state, has encouraged women voters to increasingly vote for her party.
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