Mamata Banerjee Dismisses Exit Polls, Says Trinamool Will Win Over 200 Seats in Bengal

KOLKATA: Ahead of the May 4 counting of votes for the assembly elections, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday dismissed exit poll results, alleging they were conducted to "manipulate the stock market." In a virtual address to party colleagues, she declared that Trinamool Congress "is winning and winning by 200-plus seats."

Banerjee's Instructions to Counting Agents

Banerjee urged counting agents not to leave their tables even for a minute without a replacement and advised them not to be anxious if postal ballot results initially go against the party. She and Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee alleged that "BJP was using the Election Commission" and that party workers and supporters were being selectively targeted. The Chief Minister said she would reward workers who "had withstood these attacks fearlessly and fought back."

Trinamool's Coordination Plans

Trinamool Congress also released a list of party seniors deputed to coordinate with ground workers on counting day. Abhishek Banerjee will oversee South 24 Parganas.

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Opposition Calls for Peace

Meanwhile, Bengal's Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari called on all political parties to maintain peace ahead of the counting, urging them to accept the people's mandate and avoid a repeat of the post-poll violence that followed the 2021 elections. "Let there be peace in Bengal. The election is over and every political party should take part in the counting. Whatever rivalry existed during the polls should end now," Adhikari said on Friday evening as he emerged from an EVM strongroom after a visit.

Invoking the 2021 violence, in which BJP claims 300 of its workers were killed, he said: "No neta is hurt in violence — I have CRPF security, Mamata ji has police protection and a bulletproof car. It is the common man and ordinary worker who suffers. We should now cooperate with EC, central forces and state police."