Humiliating defeat for Trinamool, personal for Mamata: Shobaa De on Bengal results

Kolkata: Columnist Shobaa De said that the defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections is not just a “humiliating defeat” for Trinamool Congress but also a “personal” one for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while congratulating the people of the state for the historic election.

In a video message posted on Instagram, De, wearing a Dhakai Jamdani dress from Kolkata, said, “The city of joy is bursting with joy today and understandably so…I am celebrating along with the people of Kolkata what is clearly a colossal historic win.”

She said that the reason CM Mamata Banerjee lost is that the women of West Bengal “ousted” her. “What did she do wrong? She never had the good sense to show any kind of sympathy, solidarity, or empathy for the women of West Bengal, and all of it has backfired on her,” De said.

Calling the defeat “a slap on the face in many ways”, the Columnist said, “It’s not just a humiliating defeat for her party, but it’s also a personal defeat for her like no other leader has experienced in the past.”

Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s election campaigns, De said, “The Prime Minister has said the lotus is blooming in West Bengal, let it bloom, let many lotuses bloom. He’s talking about a vote for Badlao; he’s absolutely right. The people of West Bengal were sick of corruption, of her complete indifference to infrastructure, to the voices of the people she had suppressed and repressed and terrorised.”

“So, 15 years, Mamata, you had a jolly good run, it’s time to hand the state over to the BJP and let’s see how it does. Everyone will be watching the story from this moment on,” she said.

She further congratulated the people of West Bengal for voting in such large numbers and delivering a decisive mandate.

“Let’s hope the future of West Bengal is restored to its old glory, which had been systematically decimated and destroyed not just by Mamata but also by her predecessors. Here’s to you, city of joy, let there be more joy, and meanwhile here’s to all of us who are celebrating,” De added.

The BJP is set to form the next government in West Bengal with a decisive two-thirds majority, ending the Trinamool Congress’ 15-year rule in the state.

In the 294-member Assembly, the majority mark stands at 196. Results were declared for 293 constituencies on Monday, with repolling scheduled in the Falta seat of South 24 Parganas district on May 21, as announced by the Election Commission of India, with counting for that seat due on May 24.

Of the declared results, the BJP secured 206 seats, comfortably ahead of the Trinamool Congress, which managed 81. Trinamool chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lost her Bhabanipur seat to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari by over 15,000 votes.

In terms of vote share, the BJP polled 46 per cent, followed by the Trinamool Congress at 41 per cent.

Notably, the Trinamool Congress failed to win a single seat in ten districts, including Cooch Behar, East Midnapore, Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling, and also lost all tribal- and Matua-dominated constituencies.

IANS