West Bengal election results 2021: Counting of votes for the assembly election is taking place today
The BJP and the Trinamool Congress are neck and neck as the latest leads continue to come in. Whether West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress will retain the state or the BJP will emerge as the big winner in the state assembly election will be known today. Votes are being counted today for the election to the legislative assembly of West Bengal. The assembly election was spread over eight rounds of polling for a month amid the deadly second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The election saw a fierce contest between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP. Both parties deployed their star candidates in the campaign. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah led the BJP campaign in Bengal, while Ms Banerjee was the main force for the Trinamool Congress during the campaigning phase.
Here are the live updates for results of the West Bengal assembly election 2021:
Mamata Banerjee vs Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram
Trinamool's Mamata Banerjee is trailing BJP's Suvendu Adhikari by around 7,000 votes. She was trailing in postal ballots by around 1,500 votes and now with EVMs being counted too, Mr Adhikari's lead has grown to around 7,000 votes. However, this is the counting from Nandigram-1 - where the minority community votes are not a factor. Nandigram-2 is where the minority community plays a big factor and that is where Ms Banerjee looks to gain most from.
Trinamool's Mamata Banerjee is trailing BJP's Suvendu Adhikari by around 7,000 votes. She was trailing in postal ballots by around 1,500 votes and now with EVMs being counted too, Mr Adhikari's lead has grown to around 7,000 votes. However, this is the counting from Nandigram-1 - where the minority community votes are not a factor. Nandigram-2 is where the minority community plays a big factor and that is where Ms Banerjee looks to gain most from.
BJP's Suvendu Adhikari leading in Nandigram
BJP's Suvendu Adhikari is leading in Nandigram with 7,287 votes, while his Trinamool rival Mamata Banerjee is trailing with 5,790 votes.
BJP's Suvendu Adhikari is leading in Nandigram with 7,287 votes, while his Trinamool rival Mamata Banerjee is trailing with 5,790 votes.
West Bengal Election trends at 9:43 am. https://t.co/QZmvOuUEi4#AssemblyElections2021pic.twitter.com/Fk6hGmAoCg
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 2, 2021
Where the Left stands in early trends
"It is premature to say that the Left is completely out in Bengal as these are still very early leads. But that being said, yes, there was a large amount of polarisation between the two political forces of Trinamool Congress and BJP in Bengal," CPI(M) leader Tikender Singh Panwar told NDTV.
"It is premature to say that the Left is completely out in Bengal as these are still very early leads. But that being said, yes, there was a large amount of polarisation between the two political forces of Trinamool Congress and BJP in Bengal," CPI(M) leader Tikender Singh Panwar told NDTV.
Trinamool still maintains lead
The Trinamool is ahead in latest trends with 115 seats, while the BJP is leading in 107 as at 9:38 am.
The Trinamool is ahead in latest trends with 115 seats, while the BJP is leading in 107 as at 9:38 am.
Close fight between Trinamool and BJP
The Trinamool and challenger BJP are locked in a neck and neck contest in West Bengal as counting of ballots is underway, with the ruling party having a slight edge. The Trinamool is ahead in latest leads with 97 seats, while the BJP is leading in 94 as at 9:28 am.
The Trinamool and challenger BJP are locked in a neck and neck contest in West Bengal as counting of ballots is underway, with the ruling party having a slight edge. The Trinamool is ahead in latest leads with 97 seats, while the BJP is leading in 94 as at 9:28 am.
West Bengal Election trends at 9:11 am. https://t.co/QZmvOuUEi4#AssemblyElections2021pic.twitter.com/yzl1ylTu4M
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 2, 2021
Trinamool maintains lead
The Trinamool is ahead in latest leads with 83 seats, while the BJP is leading in 79 as at 9:10 am.
The Trinamool is ahead in latest leads with 83 seats, while the BJP is leading in 79 as at 9:10 am.
West Bengal Election trends at 8:55 am. https://t.co/QZmvOuUEi4#AssemblyElections2021pic.twitter.com/szfq6S0oRl
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 2, 2021
Mamata Banerjee tweets
Even as counting is going on, Mamata Banerjee tweeted a tribute to filmmaker Satyajit Ray. "Maharaja Tomare Selam... Tribute to Satyajit Ray, legendary filmmaker, writer, composer, lyricist, illustrator, on his birth centenary. He is not only the pride of Bengal but also India & the whole world. He is an inspiration to people around the globe. #SatyajitRay100," Ms Banerjee tweeted.
Even as counting is going on, Mamata Banerjee tweeted a tribute to filmmaker Satyajit Ray. "Maharaja Tomare Selam... Tribute to Satyajit Ray, legendary filmmaker, writer, composer, lyricist, illustrator, on his birth centenary. He is not only the pride of Bengal but also India & the whole world. He is an inspiration to people around the globe. #SatyajitRay100," Ms Banerjee tweeted.
What experts are saying about latest leads
According to these very early leads, Mamata Banerjee is seen to be losing in two of her strongholds, including that of West Kolkata. "And forget 2016, but actually going down from the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, is a big cause of concern for the Trinamool," Dorab R Sopariwala told NDTV.
According to these very early leads, Mamata Banerjee is seen to be losing in two of her strongholds, including that of West Kolkata. "And forget 2016, but actually going down from the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, is a big cause of concern for the Trinamool," Dorab R Sopariwala told NDTV.
Trinamool inches ahead
The Trinamool is marginally ahead in latest leads with 49 seats, while the BJP is leading in 46 as at 8:49 am.
The Trinamool is marginally ahead in latest leads with 49 seats, while the BJP is leading in 46 as at 8:49 am.
Super close fight in Bengal
The BJP continues to maintain an edge in Bengal. Latest leads show BJP is leading in 41 seats while Trinamool is leading in 39 as at 8:39 am.
The BJP continues to maintain an edge in Bengal. Latest leads show BJP is leading in 41 seats while Trinamool is leading in 39 as at 8:39 am.
West Bengal Election trends at 8:35 am. https://t.co/QZmvOuUEi4#AssemblyElections2021pic.twitter.com/hF12lVFymZ
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 2, 2021
BJP maintains edge in latest leads
The BJP continues to maintain an edge in Bengal. Latest leads show BJP is leading in 32 seats while Trinamool is leading in 25 as at 8:29 am.
The BJP continues to maintain an edge in Bengal. Latest leads show BJP is leading in 32 seats while Trinamool is leading in 25 as at 8:29 am.
West Bengal Election trends at 8:25 am. https://t.co/QZmvOuUEi4#AssemblyElections2021pic.twitter.com/ApkBixpcaf
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 2, 2021
BJP ahead in latest leads
The BJP is leading in 23 seats while the Trinamool is leading in 18 as at 8:25 am.
The BJP is leading in 23 seats while the Trinamool is leading in 18 as at 8:25 am.
Trinamool ahead in latest leads
The Trinamool is leading in 15 seats while the BJP is leading in 11 as at 8:19 am.
The Trinamool is leading in 15 seats while the BJP is leading in 11 as at 8:19 am.
Latest leads are in
The BJP is ahead in 4 seats while Trinamool Congress is leading in 3 as at 8:13 am.
The BJP is ahead in 4 seats while Trinamool Congress is leading in 3 as at 8:13 am.
Very early leads from Bengal shows gain for BJP
Very early first lead from West Bengal shows a gain for BJP.
Very early first lead from West Bengal shows a gain for BJP.
Election results under shadow of Covid
The election results are seen as an early test of the impact the devastating second wave of the pandemic is having on support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP. Counting of votes in West Bengal will begin shortly. The second wave has overwhelmed hospitals, morgues and crematoriums and left families scrambling for scarce medicines and oxygen.
The election results are seen as an early test of the impact the devastating second wave of the pandemic is having on support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP. Counting of votes in West Bengal will begin shortly. The second wave has overwhelmed hospitals, morgues and crematoriums and left families scrambling for scarce medicines and oxygen.
And while India is the world's biggest producer of COVID-19 vaccines, shortages of the shots in some states have hindered the start of a mass vaccination drive.
Counting to begin shortly
Counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly election 2021 will begin shortly. Officials outside a counting centre at St Thomas Boys' School in Kolkata.
Counting of votes in Siliguri
Officials, counting agents and security forces arrive at a counting centre at Siliguri College in West Bengal. Counting of votes for assembly elections 2021 will begin shortly.
Postal ballots arrive
Postal ballots have arrived in David Hare Campus, Ballygunge for the constituency. It is a prestige seat for the Trinamool Congress. Senior Trinamool Congress leader Subrata Mukherjee, a close aide of Mamata Banerjee, is the candidate from here.
Bengal's single-day Covid fatalities cross 100-mark
West Bengal on Saturday reported the highest one-day COVID-19 deaths with 103 people succumbing to the infection, the health department said in a bulletin a day before counting of votes in the assembly election.
The state's coronavirus death toll is 11,447 now. The tally also rose to 8,45,878 as a record single-day spike of 17,512 cases was registered.
Will BJP take Bengal?
The BJP, which had just three seats in the 294-member assembly after the polls and went to win 18 out of 42 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, had pulled out all the stops in the West Bengal in a determined bid to oust Mamata Banerjee, a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and add another state to its tally of 17. The Left-Congress alliance is the third main contestant in the state.
The BJP, which had just three seats in the 294-member assembly after the polls and went to win 18 out of 42 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, had pulled out all the stops in the West Bengal in a determined bid to oust Mamata Banerjee, a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and add another state to its tally of 17. The Left-Congress alliance is the third main contestant in the state.
Mamata Banerjee vs BJP
The result will decide whether Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has been in power for 10 years and is arguably fighting the toughest election of her political career, has been able to thwart the challenge by the battle-hardened election army of the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
The result will decide whether Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has been in power for 10 years and is arguably fighting the toughest election of her political career, has been able to thwart the challenge by the battle-hardened election army of the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
3-tier security
A three-tier security arrangement is in place in West Bengal's counting centres and 256 companies of central forces deployed across 23 districts of the state that voted in a gruelling election marred by violence and vicious personal attacks.
A three-tier security arrangement is in place in West Bengal's counting centres and 256 companies of central forces deployed across 23 districts of the state that voted in a gruelling election marred by violence and vicious personal attacks.
