Maheshtala: In a resounding rejection of accusations of rigging, booth capturing and violence by the ruling party in polls in West Bengal, the Trinamool today snapped up the Maheshtala Assembly seat with five times more votes than last time and 30,000 more than votes polled by BJP and CPM.
The opposition had repeatedly demanded central paramilitary forces for state polls, including the recent rural elections. State police are partial to the ruling party, they claim. Maheshtala bypoll was overseen by nine companies of paramilitary but Trinamool's fortunes have only improved.
"There was more CRPF in Maheshtala than voters," said Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee today after results were announced. "Bunkers were built (at some poll booths) as if it was the war of Waterloo. But now you have seen our margin," she said.
Speaking at a press meet at Siliguri after results were announced, Ms Banerjee also very pointedly said while her party fought alone, "CPM and Congress had one candidate", miffed at the Congress-CPM deal by which Congress did not field a candidate.
Trinamool's fortunes soared - no other word for it - its margin up from 12,000 to 62,000.
Mr Banerjee spoke at length, not only on the polls but also the murder of the BJP worker in Purulia and Pranab Mukherjee's forthcoming visit to the RSS headquarters. "It's his personal visit, we have no comments," Mr Banerjee said.
With Mamata Banerjee in Dilli Chalo mode, political observers today marked Abhishek Banerjee's comments and the fact that he was out there interacting with voters as results were coming in, something he has not been seen doing too often in the past.
The opposition had repeatedly demanded central paramilitary forces for state polls, including the recent rural elections. State police are partial to the ruling party, they claim. Maheshtala bypoll was overseen by nine companies of paramilitary but Trinamool's fortunes have only improved.
"There was more CRPF in Maheshtala than voters," said Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee today after results were announced. "Bunkers were built (at some poll booths) as if it was the war of Waterloo. But now you have seen our margin," she said.
Speaking at a press meet at Siliguri after results were announced, Ms Banerjee also very pointedly said while her party fought alone, "CPM and Congress had one candidate", miffed at the Congress-CPM deal by which Congress did not field a candidate.
Trinamool Congress workers celebrate the bypoll victory in Mahestala
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Trinamool's fortunes soared - no other word for it - its margin up from 12,000 to 62,000.
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Mr Banerjee spoke at length, not only on the polls but also the murder of the BJP worker in Purulia and Pranab Mukherjee's forthcoming visit to the RSS headquarters. "It's his personal visit, we have no comments," Mr Banerjee said.
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With Mamata Banerjee in Dilli Chalo mode, political observers today marked Abhishek Banerjee's comments and the fact that he was out there interacting with voters as results were coming in, something he has not been seen doing too often in the past.
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