New Delhi, May 5: In a strong message, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has reprimanded Congress leaders celebrating the defeat of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the West Bengal Assembly elections. He emphasized the need to move beyond “petty politics” and focus on larger national issues.
In a post on the social media platform ‘X’, Gandhi stated, “Some Congress members and other parties are celebrating TMC’s defeat. They must understand that the ‘theft’ of the mandate in Assam and Bengal is a significant step towards weakening democracy by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).”
He added, “We need to set aside petty politics. This is not just a matter for one party, but for the entire nation.”
This statement comes at a time when the TMC, led by Mamata Banerjee, appears to be losing its 15-year reign in West Bengal, with the BJP, under Suvendu Adhikari’s leadership, moving towards a two-thirds majority.
Previously, Gandhi had supported Mamata Banerjee’s allegations of “vote theft,” asserting, “The BJP, with the help of the Election Commission, has stolen votes in Assam and Bengal. We agree with Mamata Banerjee. Over 100 seats in Bengal have been taken away. We have seen this tactic before in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, and in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.”
In the 294-member West Bengal Assembly, the majority mark is 148. Results for 293 seats were declared on Monday, while a re-poll for the Falta seat in South 24 Parganas will take place on May 21, with counting set for May 24.
According to the announced results, the BJP has secured a significant lead with 206 seats, while the TMC has been reduced to 81 seats. Mamata Banerjee lost her Bhawanipur seat to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari by over 15,000 votes. The Congress managed to win 2 seats, the CPI(M) 1 seat, while the AISF and the Aam Janata Unnayan Party secured 1 and 2 seats, respectively.
Notably, the TMC failed to win any seats in 10 districts, including Cooch Behar, East Midnapore, Jalpaiguri, and Darjeeling, and faced defeats in tribal and Matua-dominated areas.
In Assam, the BJP-led coalition also achieved a remarkable victory, winning 82 seats, while Congress was limited to just 19 seats, further weakening the opposition in the state.
Leave a Comment