Kolkata: Mamata Banerjee continues to hold sway over West Bengal with Trinamool Congress (TMC) decimating the opposition to retain power in the state. Despite the Saradha chit fund scam and the Narada sting operation, the TMC easily surpassed the 2011 tally of 184 sets sending out a clear signal that there is no opposition in the state.
The Left Front which had joined hands with the Congress in a bid to regain power was routed. The Congress managed to just about retain the second spot once again highlighting the fact that the party was not a force to reckon with in the state where first the Left and now TMC have pushed it to the margins.
Soon after trends revealed the TMC surge, hundreds of party supporters and leaders reached Mamata's residence in Kalighat to exchange pleasantries. Jubilant women party cadres started to blow conch shells and smeared each other with gulal to mark the thumping victory of didi as Mamata is lovingly called by her supporters.
Addressing a press conference Mamata thanked the people of Bengal for voting in favour TMC. She said, "In spite of all anti incumbency factors, we have made it in the elections. We thank the common people of Bengal for standing in queue for long hours and voting for us. It's a victory of the common man. The way opposition on has tried to conspire against us is not good for politics and public life."
"The opposition tried to divide the people but failed. They also tried to tarnish TMC image but we stood against all odds," Mamata added.
Some of the prominent TMC candidates who won are Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee from Baruipur Paschim Assembly and Finance Minister Amit Mitra.
The high profile Bhowanipur constituency in Kolkata which witnessed a three-way battle between Mamata, Congress' Deepa Dasmunshi and BJP's Chandra Bose remained with the TMC.
Around 82.80% of the total 6.55 crore electorate had exercised their franchise across 77,247 polling stations in the elections held in six phases.
The results clearly show that there is no alternative to Mamata in the state for now.
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