Author: AITC

The final day of 16^th Lok Sabhaelections is here. After arduous campaigns across India by various politicalparties in the gruelling heat for two and a half months, the verdict day isfinally upon us. Held in 9 phases, the Lok Sabha elections this year saw arecord turnout of 66%. The total electorate in Bengal is 6,24,68,988 and theturnout was 82.24%.

In the 15^th Lok Sabha electionsheld in 2009, Trinamool had won 19 seats.

Stay tuned as we bring you all the latestupdates and trends as the counting progresses through the day. We will alsobring you the reactions and activities from across Kolkata as the verdictunfolds.

 

Live Updates:

3:26 PM: Trinamool Chairperson addresses the press, dedicates the victory to the Ma, Mati, Manush of Bengal. She said that people are the true Man of the Match in this election.

3:06 PM: Assembly by-election in Bengal – Trinamool leading in 5 out of 6 seats. RSP leading in 1 seat.

3:04 PM: Renuka Sinha wins from Coochbehar. Kapil Krishna Thakur wins from Bangaon.

2:58 PM: Mumtaz Sanghamita wins by a margin of 1.7 lakh votes in Bardhaman-Durgapur. Kalyan Banerjee wins in Serampore. Suvendu Adhikari wins from Tamluk.

2:47 PM: Afreen Ali wins in Arambagh by a margin of over 2 lakh votes. Abhishek Banerjee wins from Diamond Harbour.

2:42 PM: Sugata Bose wins from Jadavpur by a margin of over 1.2 lakh votes. Sisir Adhikari wins from Kanthi.

2:39 PM: Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar wins from Barasat. Idrish Ali wins from Basirhat.

2:38 PM: Saugata Roy wins from Dumdum by over 1.54 lakh votes.

2:37 PM: Deepak Adhikari (Dev) wins from Ghatal. Ratna De Nag wins from Hooghly.

2:20 PM: Trends for 42/42 seats in Bengal: Trinamool leading in 34 seats, Left 2, BJP 2, INC 4.

2:10 PM: Sandhya Roy wins from Medinipur.

1:05 PM: Satabdi Roy wins from Birbhum.

12:45 PM: Celebrations begin at Kalighat as Trinamool sweeps Lok Sabha elections in Bengal.

12:30 PM: Tapas Pal wins in Krishnanagar by over 1.7 lakh votes.

12:02 PM: Dinesh Trivedi wins from Barrackpore by a margin of 1,01,373 votes.

11:45 AM: Vote share of parties in West Bengal: Trinamool 39.3%, Left: 29%, BJP 18%, Congress 9%.

11:29 AM: Trends for 41/42 seats in Bengal: Trinamool leading in 33 seats, Left 1, BJP 3, INC 4.

11:26 AM: Dinesh Trivedi leading in Barrackpore by over 1 lakh votes.

11: 06 AM: Trends for 40/42 seats in Bengal: Trinamool leading in 31 seats, Left 2, BJP 4, INC 3.

10:50 AM: CM Jatua leading from Mathurapur.

10:42 AM: Trends for 37/42 seats in Bengal: Trinamool leading in 30 seats, Left 1, BJP 2, INC 4.

10:41 AM: Aparupa Poddar leading in Arambagh by over 57000 votes.

10:28 AM: Trends for 32/42 seats in Bengal: Trinamool leading in 26 seats, Left 2, BJP 2, INC 2.

10:22 AM: Sreemati Dev Varma (Moonmoon Sen) leading in Bankura.

10:20 AM: Kapil Krishna Thakur leading in Bangaon. Idrish Ali leading in Basirhat.

10:11 AM: Prasun Banerjee leading from Howrah. Sultan Ahmed leading from Uluberia.

9:58 AM: Abhishek Banerjee leading from Diamond Harbour by over 9000 votes.

9:48 AM: Tapas Mandal leading in Ranaghat. Pratima Mandal leading in Joynagar.

9:45 AM: Tapas Pal leading in Krishnanagar. Sandhya Roy leading in Medinipur.

9:40 AM: Trends for 19/42 seats in Bengal: Trinamool leading in 16 seats, Left 2, BJP 1.

9:34 AM: Bijoy Barman leading in Jalpaiguri, Kakoli Dastidar leading in Barasat and Deepak Adhikari leading in Ghatal.

9:23 AM: Saugata Roy leading in Dumdum, Mumtaz Sanghamita leading in Bardhaman-Durgapur.

9:18 AM: Dasarath Tirkey leading by 4300 votes in Alipurduars, Kalyan Banerjee leading by 8000 votes in Serampore.

9:10 AM: Dinesh Trivedi leading in Barrackpore.

9:08 AM: Subhendu Adhikari is leading in Tamluk. Afreen Ali leading from Arambagh.

9:06 AM: Ratna De Nag is leading in Hooghly while Sisir Adhikari is leading in Kanthi.

9:02 AM: Sudip Bandyopadhyay leading in North Kolkata.

9 AM: Subrata Bakshi leading in Kolkata South by 11000 votes.

8:48 AM: Trinamool candidate from Jadavpur, Sugata Bose, leading by 11000 after the sixth round.

8:45 AM: Counting of votes in the EVM begins at the end of postal ballot.

8:00 AM: Counting of votes for the 16th Lok Sabha elections begin. Postal ballots to be counted first.

7.45AM: Heavy security at 48 counting stations acrossBengal. Section 144 has been imposed within a radius of 100 m around thecounting stations. It is a matter of time before the counting of postal ballot begins.

Trinamool Chairperson addressed the press today after the results of the Lok Sabha elections were declared. Trinamool has secured 34 seats out of the 42 seats in Bengal. Didi dedicated the victory to the people of the State. 

Excerpts from the Chairperson`s speech:

We have won 34 out of 42 seats in thiselection. I would like to thank the Ma, Mati, Manush of Bengal. Only in Bengalwe saw a one-sided malicious campaign, even by a major section of the media wasinvolved. But people of Bengal have given their verdict loud and clear. We arevery happy about that.

The ` Man of the Match` is the people ofBengal. Democracy has prevailed. Trinamool Congress believes in working for allirrespective of the cast, creed or religion and we must uphold the communalharmony in the country. We want economic stability, political stability and thecountry`s stability.

Trinamool Congress never believes inpersonal gains. We are always for the people, by the people, of the people andpro-people. We will continue to do that. We will do whatever is good for thepeople and good for the country.

Bengal has gone through the longestelection phase in the history in this tremendous heat. I thank my colleaguesfor their work. The common people had come out to vote in spite of the risingheat, I thank them too.

CPI(M) has been completely decimated inBengal. This is what happens if you try to damage yourself while trying tofight others by spreading malicious campaigns. There was so much to learn fromthis election. Will the valueless politics continue or will it be sold to moneypower? Democracy is dependent on media, judiciary and election. The way thiselection was held is astonishing. Only one party was highlighted during thecampaign, because of money power.

The media has made one-sided campaignsagainst us. In spite of that the voice of the people was victorious. The totalcredit goes to them who have resisted these one-sided malicious campaigns.

I request all to maintain peace and not gointo any confrontations or indulge in any activity that breaks the peace.  This was a very hard battle. I dedicate thisvictory to the people of West Bengal. I believe that in democracy people`spower is the only power.

Didi`s message on Facebook:

Didi`s message on Facebook

(In English and Bengali)

The demand by the CPI(M) for re-polling in3000+ booths that saw voting in the recent free-and-fair Lok Sabha elections inWest Bengal is not only laughable but mocks the sanctity of the voting processand the integrity of the voter. It is typical of the CPI(M), which has foundthe ground slipping from under its feet, that it has held a protest meeting andmade this demand in Delhi, far away from West Bengal.

In truth, the party has been missing fromour state since it was turfed out of office in the 2011 Assembly elections andsince its oppression and misrule ended. In the Lok Sabha election campaign,Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal and leader of the TrinamoolCongress, addressed over 300 meetings in the heat of a grueling summer. Thiscapped three years of able and resolute governance. We are confident thiseffort will be rewarded by the people when the votes are counted on May 16.

The opposition – led by the CPI(M) butincluding the Congress and the BJP – realise their anticshave not worked. And they are certain to be wiped out. Two local TV channels (one which has run an exit poll which gives Left 36% of the votes to Trinamool`s 33%) with open `agendas` for the last two months, deliberately hyped up a few sporadic incidents and are making a mountain out of a molehill. This has encouraged the CPI(M), the BJP and the Congress to be a party to such propaganda and disinformation. On May 16, the truth shall prevail.

Statement issued by Derek O`Brien, National Spokesperson of Trinamool Congress

—

সদ্য সমাপ্ত ষোড়শ লোকসভা নির্বাচনে সিপিএম এর তোলা ৩০০০টির ও বেশি বুথে পুনর্নির্বাচনের দাবি শুধুমাত্র হাস্যস্পদয় নয়, দেশের যে সব নাগরিকরা নিজেদের ভোটাধিকার শান্তিপূর্ণ ভাবে প্রয়োগ করেছেন, তাদের প্রতি অসম্মানজনক ও বটে।  পশ্চিমবঙ্গে পায়ের তলা থেকে মাটি সরে যাবার পর তারা দিশেহারা হয়ে পড়েছেন – এর নিদর্শন এই যে পশ্চিমবঙ্গের ভোটে রিগিংএর দোহাই দিয়ে তারা দিল্লিতে প্রতিবাদ ও সাংবাদিক বৈঠক করছেন।

প্রকৃতপক্ষে, ২০১১ সালে ৩৪ বছরের বাম অপশাসন শেষ হবার পর থেকেই বামেদের এই রাজ্যে ভিত নড়বড়ে হয়ে গেছে, তারা এ রাজ্যে প্রায় নিশ্চিহ্ন হতে চলেছে। তৃণমূল কংগ্রেস এর সভানেত্রী ও পশ্চিম্বঙ্গের মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় সারা রাজ্যে ৩০০টির ও বেশি জনসভা করেছেন, প্রবল গরম উপেক্ষা করে।  তিন বছরের উন্নয়ণের খতিয়ান তুলে ধরে তিনি মানুষের আস্থা অর্জন করেছেন। আমরা বিশ্বাস করি যে মানুষ আমাদের ওপর সম্পূর্ণ আস্থা রাখবেন এবং ১৬ই মে জনতার রায়ে তা প্রতিফলিত হবে। 

রাজ্যের বিরোধীরা – মূলত সিপিএম এবং তাদের দোসর কংগ্রেস ও বিজেপি – মানুষের বিশ্বাস অর্জন করতে সক্ষম হননি ও তাদের এই অক্ষমতা ঢাকতেই তারা কুত্সা ও অপপ্রচারে লিপ্ত হয়েছেন। সংবাদমাধ্যমের একাংশ উদ্দেশ্যপ্রণোদিত ভাবে তৃণমূলের বিরুদ্ধে কুত্সা করছেন। মিডিয়ার এই একপেশে সন্গাবাদিকতা বিরোধীদের আরও উত্সাহিত করছে তৃণমূলের বিরুদ্ধে কুত্সায় লিপ্ত হতে। বিরোধীদের শত চেষ্টা সত্তেও ১৬ই মে সত্যের জয় হবে।

তৃণমূল কংগ্রেস মুখপাত্র ডেরেক ও`ব্রায়েন এর বক্তব্য 

প্রায় অর্ধেক বাংলার নির্বাচন ঘিরে তখন আছড়ে পড়ছে উত্তেজনা। বুথে বুথে লম্বা লাইন। ক্যাম্প অফিসে তৎপরতা। কিন্তু ৩০ বি হরিশ চট্টোপাধ্যায় স্ট্রিটে ঢুকে মনে হচ্ছিল, এটা কোনও বিচ্ছিন্ন দ্বীপ।

তৃণমূল কংগ্রেসের ওয়ার রুম অথচ কী নিস্তব্ধতা!

গেটের মুখে লোহার ব্যারিকেড। ঢোকার মুখে পুলিশি পরীক্ষার ব্যবস্থা। জেড ক্যাটেগরি নিরাপত্তা অফিসাররা বসে আছেন। নিয়ম মেনে সবই চলছে। ভিতরে এক ডাক্তার বিধায়ক ঢুকছেন–বেরোচ্ছেন। ছোট একটা দরজা ঠেলে মাঝে ঘুরে গেলেন শ্রীরামপুরের লোকসভা প্রার্থী এক আইনজীবী। কিন্তু সেটাও যেন কেমন নিয়মমাফিক।

বিকেলে ভোট দিতে যাওয়ার আগে পর্যন্ত মমতা বন্দ্যেপাধ্যায় নিজেকে বন্দিই করে রেখেছিলেন ঘরের মধ্যে। ছয় ফুট বাই ছয় ফুটের বেডরুম কাম রিডিং রুম থেকে বারবার নির্দেশ গিয়েছে ভোট ম্যানেজারদের কাছে। মাঝেমধ্যে ঘরে চা আর মুড়ি পাঠানো হয়েছে।

ব্যস এইটুকুই। দরজা খুললেই শোনা গিয়েছে টিভির চ্যানেলের শব্দ আর ফোনের কথোপকথন।  সূত্রের খবর, `দিদি` নাকি সারাক্ষণ রাজ্যের বিভিন্ন প্রান্তের নেতাদের ফোনে বলে গিয়েছেন। সবই শান্ত ভঙ্গিতে। এক বারের জন্যও উত্তেজিত হয়নি।

ভোট দেওয়ার পর মমতার স্বতঃপ্রণোদিত হয়ে ডান হাত তুলে `ভি` দেখানো দেখে অন্তত মনে হয়েছে, তিনি পাঁচ দফার ভোটের পর অন্তত খুশি।

দুপুরের অমৃতযোগে ভোট দিতে যাননি। বিকেল পাঁচটায় মাহেন্দ্রক্ষণে মিত্র ইনস্টিটিউশন থেকে ভোট দিয়ে বেরনোর সময় রাজ্যের মুখ্যমন্ত্রীকে ক্লান্ত দেখালেও বিধ্বস্ত মনে হয়নি। না–হলে গাড়ি একটা গলিতে রেখে গটগট করে বড় রাস্তা পেরিয়ে ঢুকে গেলেও ফেরার পথে ফটোগ্রাফারদের খুশি করতে যাবেন কেন?

এখানেই শেষ নয়। বহু দিন পর ভোট দিয়ে মমতা এ দিন সোজা চলে গিয়েছেন তৃণমূল ভবনে। এত দিন বাইপাসের ধারের ওয়ার রুমটি সামলাতেন মুকুল রায় এবং ডেরেক ও ব্রায়েন। তাঁদের সঙ্গে যোগ দিয়ে এ দিন ঘণ্টা দুয়েক সময় কাটিয়েছেন মমতা। মুকুল–ডেরেক–সুলতান আহমেদ–কৃষ্ণেন্দু চৌধুরীদের সঙ্গে বসে আসন ধরে ধরে আলোচনা করেছেন। আলোচনার পর আসন সংখ্যা মনের মতন হওয়ায় সবাইকে মিষ্টিও খাইয়েছেন। দারুণ মুডেও ছিলেন।

গত দু`মাসে প্রায় ১২৫টি সভা করেছেন তৃণমূল নেত্রী। চারদিন পর তার ফল বুথফেরত সমীক্ষার হিসেব উল্টে যদি তিনি প্রত্যাশিত সাফল্য পান, তা হলে ৩০–বি এ দিনের মতো নিস্তরঙ্গ থাকতে পারবে?

খবরটি আনন্দবাজার পত্রিকাতে প্রকাশিত

May 13, 2011. The date will forever beetched in history, thanks to Didi.

The 34-year old Left `citadel` in Bengalwas converted to rubble. The mandate of Ma, Mati, Manush prevailed over the Redbrigade.

Three years of running a cash-strappedGovernment is an inhuman job. West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjeehas proved to be much more than ordinary. Although a lion`s share of the State`srevenue is being taken away by the Centre as installments for the debt incurredby the Left regime, with repeated requests of a debt moratorium falling ontothe deaf ears of the Centre, West Bengal has carried out development in everysector in the State. Unthinkable, yet true.

What has the Government achieved in thesethree years? Democracy, peace and progress. Mamata Banerjee has given aconfidence to the people. There is hope in the air that Bengal can be the best.And Bengal has proven it. From fair price medicine shops to the Kanyashree scheme,from 100-Days Work Scheme to Jangalmahal, Bengal is a national model.

Three years ago, we had little to boastabout. Now we can boast about Brand Bengal – Biswa Bangla. Trinamool raised the slogan bodla noy, bodol chai and lived up to the principle in the lastthree years.

Mamata Banerjee has changed the workculture of the West Bengal Government. She did something that was unthinkable. Sheshifted the State Secretariat from Writers` Buildings to Nabanna (in Howrah). She set up a branch secretariat – Uttarkanya in Siliguri, North Bengal. Sheconducted 54 administrative meetings at block level in three years, thusdemonstrating how power can be decentralised from Kolkata to the districts.

As the old song goes-

Ittakes courage to answer a call,

Ittakes courage to lose your all,

Ittakes courage to risk your name,

Ittakes courage to be true.

ItTakes courage to dare,

Onethat no will share;

To bestanding alone,

Onewhom no one will own;

To beready to stake for another one's sake,

Ittakes courage to be true.

The fifth and final phase of the Lok Sabhapolls in the State is underway in 17 parliamentary constituencies.

Trinamool Chairperson has campaignedherself in all these seats more than once, apart from several other leaders ofthe party and artists and intellectuals. 

Of the 17 candidates, 9 candidates aresitting MPs and seeking re-election from their respective constituencies. By-election for two Assembly constituencies – Chakdaha and Shantipur – is also underway.

Trinamool has fielded candidates in all seventeenLok Sabha seats. They are:

Baharampur – Indranil Sen

Krishnanagar – Tapas Pal

Ranaghat – Tapas Mandal

Bongaon – Kapil Krishna Thakur

Barrackpore – Dinesh Trivedi

Dumdum – Saugata Roy

Barasat– Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar

KolkataUttar – Sudip Bandyopadhyay

KolkataDakshin – Subrata Bakshi

Jadavpur– Sugata Bose

DiamondHarbour – Abhishek Banerjee

Mathurapur – CM Jatua

Joynagar– Pratima Naskar

Basirhat – Idrish Ali

Tamluk – Suvendu Adhikari

Kanthi – Sisir Adhikari

Ghatal – Deepak Adhikari

The fifth and final phase of the 16th LokSabha election in seventeen constituencies of West Bengal was held peacefullytoday. The polling started at 7 AM and continued till 6 PM. 

Total voter turnouttoday was 79.04% (expected to rise further), the Election Commission said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. MamataBanerjee, several ministers of the West Bengal Government, celebrities andintellectuals cast their vote today.

By-election was held in the Assemblyconstituencies of Chakdaha and Shantipur.

The constituency-wise voting percentage at5 PM:

• Baharampur 77.01%,
• Krishnanagar 81.4%,
• Ranaghat 81.25%,
• Bongaon 81.85%,
• Barrackpore 72.7%,
• Dumdum 73.72%,
• Barasat 79.9%,
• Diamond Harbour 76.5%,
• Joynagar 78.15%,
• Basirhat 80.14%,
• Tamluk 85.7%,
• Kanthi 82.7%,
• Ghatal 81.3%,
• Kolkata Uttar 60.09%,
• Kolkata Dakshin 65.9%,
• Jadavpur 73.5%,
• Mathurapur 78.2%

• “CPI(M) and Congress have unleashed terror in areas they are weak. Nowthey are claiming to be victims.”
• “Bengal`s reputation is being harmed because of them.”
• “A newspaper reported few days ago that CPI(M) has prepareda map of places where they will use their cadre to mislead the people. Somenews channels are also helping them.”
• “Our aim is to ensure peaceful, free and fair elections.Elections are a carnival of democracy.”
• “We all know about the techniques used by Left for rigging.Now people can freely exercise their vote.”
• “Trinamool does not need to rig polls.”
• “My message to Trinamool workers is to be cool and not to be provoked.”
• “Media houses too must report about the polls in an unbiasedmanner.”
• “Despite the propaganda and malicious campaign, Bengal ismoving ahead.”
• “Be cool. Be tough and be smart, this is my message topeople.”