New Delhi: With the TMC’s victory imminent in West Bengal, congratulations poured in for party president and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress scored a majority in the West Bengal assembly winning 148 of the 292 seats where polling was held. According to the Election Commission website, the party was also leading in 63 places. However, Banerjee lost to her former protege-turned-BJP rival Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram by nearly 1,600 votes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Mamata on her party’s win in the assembly polls and assured the Centre’s all possible support to the state government to fulfil people’s aspirations and also to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. “Congratulations to Mamata Didi for @AITCofficial’s win in West Bengal. The Centre will continue to extend all possible support to the West Bengal Government to fulfil people’s aspirations and also to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic,” he tweeted.

In another tweet, Modi said, “I would like to congratulate Shri @vijayanpinarayi and the LDF for winning the Kerala Assembly elections. We will continue working together on a wide range of subjects and to ensure India mitigates the COVID-19 global pandemic.”

Congress president Sonia Gandhi called up Banerjee and congratulated her on phone, while many other chief ministers and leaders took to social media to extend their wishes.

“Congratulations @MamataOfficial didi for the landslide victory. What a fight! Congratulations to the people of WB,” tweeted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who was among the first to wish the incumbent Bengal CM.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar also extended his best wishes to Banerjee. “Congratulations @MamataOfficial on your stupendous victory! Let us continue our work towards the welfare of people and tackling the pandemic collectively,” Pawar said in a tweet.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in a tweet congratulated the people of the state for being “conscious” and hailed the workers’ efforts in defeating BJP’s “politics of hate”. “Hearty congratulations to the conscious public, the combative Ms. Mamta Banerjee ji and the dedicated leaders and activists of TMC, who defeated the politics of hate of BJP in Bengal! This is a befitting reply given by the public to the insulting sarcasm ‘Didi O Didi’ by a woman from the BJP,” he said.

PDP president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said in a tweet, “Congratulations to @MamataOfficial @AITCofficial @derekobrienmp on their splendid victory today. Kudos to the people of West Bengal for rejecting disruptive & divisive forces”.

TMC national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien described it as a “momentous” day for India and West Bengal. “An emotional day after fighting the world’s most destructive force, MO-SHA’s BJP. Filthy campaign aided by agencies and shameless EC. A momentous day for India and Bengal. It is understandable that we are euphoric but we also know that during #COVID we have to celebrate responsibly,” he said.

(With inputs from PTI)