Kolkata: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is on track to secure an absolute majority as the counting continues, according to the latest trends for 293 Assembly constituencies provided by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
According to the ECI data, the BJP candidates were leading in 193 Assembly constituencies, followed by Trinamool Congress at 94, the Left Front- All India Secular Front (AISF) alliance in three and others in two seats.
The total number of Assembly constituencies in West Bengal is 294, and hence the magic figure to form the government is 148. The Falta Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district will be going for repolls on May 21, and the results will be declared on May 24.
Former Trinamool Congress legislator and the founder of Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), Humayun Kabir, is leading from Rejinagar Assembly constituency in minority- dominated Murshidabad.
As per the trend after the first five hours, the BJP had swept almost all the districts in North Bengal, along with tribal dominated districts like West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia and the coastal district of East Midnapore, industrial-cum-coal mining belt district of West Burdwan and Nadia.
On the other hand, Trinamool Congress has maintained its supremacy in South 24 Parganas and Howrah to a great extent, and Hooghly to some extent. In the state capital of Kolkata, the contest between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress is neck-and-neck.
As per the latest trend, a total of 23 members of the last Mamata Banerjee-led cabinet are trailing now. However, in Bhabanipur, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is ahead of the leader of the opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari.
Adhikari is, however, leading in his native Nandigram Assembly constituency in East Midnapore district, where he is contesting simultaneously this time, along with Bhabanipur.
As the counting proceeded, there have been reports of stray violence from certain pockets in the state, with the epicentres of violence being mainly at Dinhata in Cooch Behar district and Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas district. However, the central forces present at both places were prompt enough to bring the situation under control quickly without allowing it to escalate further.
(IANS)
