After the initial three hours of counting votes in the West Bengal Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is ahead in more constituencies than the ruling Trinamool Congress. Out of 232 constituencies where counting is ongoing, BJP candidates are leading in 147, while Trinamool Congress is ahead in 82. Left Front -All India Secular Front (AISF) and Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) are leading in one constituency each.
In the Rejinagar Assembly constituency, Humayun Kabir, the founder of Aam Janata Unnayan Party, is leading. Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is marginally behind BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari in the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency. Adhikari is also leading in the Nandigram Assembly constituency.
The Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, has stated that the winning party must obtain permission from the district magistrate and the district electoral officer before organizing victory processions. He also urged all political parties to maintain peace and avoid violence post the official declaration of results.
To prevent post-poll violence, the Election Commission of India has decided to keep 700 companies of central forces in West Bengal until further notice. Additionally, a repolling is scheduled for the entire Falta Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district on May 21, with results to be announced on May 24.
