Stay at counting centres: Mamata Banerjee's SOS message as BJP leads in Bengal elections

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has issued an urgent message on Monday to TMC agents and workers. Calling on Trinamool workers to stay at counting centres, the TMC supremo has alleged that counting has been stopped. In her video message, which was issued just as ECI trends showed the BJP leading in the West Bengal assembly election results, the chief minister added workers of the polling body have stopped counting votes, especially in those areas where the Trinamool Congress is in the lead. (PTI)“As I said yesterday, they would show BJP in the lead after 2-3 rounds... counting has been stopped at around 100 places,” she said in her message on X. In her video message, which was issued just as ECI trends showed the BJP leading in the West Bengal assembly election results, the chief minister added that workers of the polling body have stopped counting votes, especially in those areas where the Trinamool Congress is in the lead. "There are around 100 seats in which TNMC is ahead, but it is not being revealed," she said. The chief minister added that the BJP and Centre have "looted votes in the name of SIR." According to the Election Commission of India, the BJP is currently leading in 182 seats, while the TMC trails with 91 seats. Based on the polling body's latest trends, the BJP has already crossed the majority mark of 148 seats. Meanwhile, in Bhabanipur, the TMC supremo is back in the lead after a tight contest with BJP's Suvendu Adhikari. Banerjee is currently ahead by over 17,000 votes. The Election Commission of India is couting the votes for the assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry. The votes for seven bypoll assembly seatsa re alsobeing counted today. Danita Yadav is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times. Based in New Delhi, Danita serves as a pivotal voice in international reportage in the team. Operating under the mandate of delivering "without the noise", Danita excels at distilling complex geopolitical developments into lucid, objective narratives which prioritise factual accuracy over sensationalism. In HT, Danita has been recognised for her breaking news efforts and time-bound coverage of the Air India crash, which has driven over 2 million users to the website through trusted, factual coverage of the incident. Thriving in high-pressure editorial environments, Danita has also cultivated a reputation for navigating the nuances of global diplomacy and cross-border policy. With over four years of experience in the journalism industry, Danita has spent her years diving deep into the coverage of international relations and global conflicts. She has previously worked with the news teams at Outlook India and Times Network, covering a wide range of beats and topics, from education curricula and student protests to Indian politics and international conflicts such as the Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan wars. Danita earned her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi. Beyond the newsroom and her love for international relations, you'll find Danita 'geeking' out over books, music and BTS. Her appreciation for global pop culture and storytelling also added to her unique perspective on the "soft power" dynamics that increasingly have shaped international relations in the ever-changing global order.Read More