The worst fears of the Communists and its supporters have come true in West Bengal elections. It’s the end of Left era in Bengal. The best estimates and predictions about how much seats Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress would corner have all proved to be small. It’s another Bihar story where Bengal is handing Mamata well beyond a landslide 2/3rd victory.

NDTV wrote that “Counting is on and there are not many surprises yet”, although, at least the number of seats Trinamool is leading on in West Bengal is itself the greatest surprise.

Bouquets have started arriving at the 30-B, Harish Chatterjee Street, Kolkata headquarters of Trinamool Congress. Hundreds of supporters had started throning the Trinamool office since early morning on Friday in anticipation of a historic rout of West Bengal’s ruling Left Front. And they have reasons to celebrated beyond their expectations. The current trends suggest that Trinamool Congress will get the magic half-way number of 148 on its own.

Every nook and corner of the South Kolkata locality has been decorated with giant cardboard cutouts of Mamata Di and the “two leaves”, election symbol of Trinamool Congress. The streets have been flourished with green-coloured lights and flags.

The massive 80+ percent turnout West Bengal witnessed in the six-phase election was indeed a wave. And now Mamata Banerjee is set to become the first non-Left chief minister of West Bengal since the Marxists took power in 1977.

In Kerala, the Left and the Congress-led front are locked in a neck and neck battle.

In Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK has an edge as early trends trickle in. In Assam, the ruling Congress is leading in early trends.

Assam has 126 assembly seats, Bengal has 294, Kerala has 140, Puducherry has 30 and Tamil Nadu has 234 assembly seats. A total of 14.16 crore voters exercised their franchise in the five states. More than 1crore 80 lakh voters in Assam, almost 2.34 crore voters in Kerala and more than 7.14 crore voters in West Bengal exercised their franchise in this election.

The election results will come as a pleasant breather for the Congress led UPA in the center which has been facing difficulties due to allegation of corruption and ineptitude. For Mamata it’s definitely a welcome result but for another UPA ally DMK of Tamilnadu, difficult times are lying ahead.

Until results last came in Trinamool has been leading in 218 seats in West Bengal and Buddhadeb is himself trailing.

 

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