Kolkata: Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress has swept the West Bengal assembly by-elections. The party managed to wrest the Madarihat constituency in Alipurduar district, which had gone to the BJP in the 2021 and 2016 elections. Trinamool candidates have also emerged victorious in Sitai, Haroa, Naihati, Taldangra, and Medinipur constituencies.
Sangita Roy won in Sitai by a 1.3 lakh margin, bagging over 1.6 lakh votes against the BJP's Dipak Kumar Ray, who could manage to win just 35,000 votes. In Madarihat, BJP's Rahul Lohar conceded the election to Jayprakash Toppo by over 28,000 votes while Sanat Dey in Naihati defeated the BJP's Rupak Mitra by a margin of nearly 50,000 votes. In Haroa, Trinamool's Sheikh Rabiul Islam defeated AISF's Piyarul Islam by over 1.3 lakh votes.
In Medinipur, Trinamool's Sujoy Hazra has defeated his BJP rival Subhajit Roy by nearly 34,000 votes.
Falguni Singhababu of the Trinamool won in Taldangra by a margin of over 34,000 votes. He defeated the BJP's Ananya Roy Chakraborty.
Trinamool workers have already started celebrations, including in front of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's house in south Kolkata. They say the election results have rejected Opposition attempts to defame the government over the RG Kar hospital rape and murder case.
Mamata Banerjee has congratulated her supporters, saying, "Your blessings inspire us to work for the people. We all are common people. That's our identity. We are not zamindar. We are pahadadar (guards)."
Her nephew and Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee posted his congratulatory message online: "Congratulations to all six AITC candidates for their decisive victories in the WB by-elections, defying the narratives created by the ZAMINDARS, the media and a section of the Kol HC to defame Bengal for their own vested interests. A special thanks to the people of Madarihat for giving us the opportunity to serve you for the first time. I bow before the people of West Bengal for democratically dismantling the Bangla Birodhis, their fake narratives and reaffirming their trust in us. My heartfelt gratitude to every TMC grassroots worker, district, block, and anchal leader for their hard work, dedication and tireless efforts in serving the people and upholding Bengal's dignity and pride!"
Votes are being counted for a total of 48 assembly seats and two parliamentary constituencies across 15 states. All results - including those for Maharashtra and Jharkhand elections - will be declared today.