'Trinamool will have the last laugh'

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee released a video message on Monday as the counting of votes was underway, claiming that "ultimately Trinamool Congress will have the last laugh".

She posted the message on her social media handle X at around 12.30 p.m., when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates were leading in over 190 seats.

The Trinamool supremo also issued an appeal to all her party candidates and counting agents not to leave the counting centres till the end.

“This is the BJP’s plan. This I have been saying since Sunday. In the initial rounds, it will be shown that the BJP candidates are ahead in a majority of the assembly constituencies. I heard that in almost 100 assembly constituencies, they have stopped counting after the first two to three rounds,” the Chief Minister said in the video message.

She also accused the Central forces of harassing and assaulting the Trinamool Congress workers in different pockets of the state.

“Already, they have deleted a number of voters in the course of the special intensive revision. Trinamool Congress candidates are leading in another 100 seats, which they are not announcing. They are feeding total misinformation. The Election Commission of India is acting on its own whims and fancies,” the Chief Minister said.

She also accused the ECI of misusing the Central and state forces in the entire elections. “Right now, even the state police are under the control of the ECI. But I request the Trinamool Congress candidates and counting agents not to get disheartened. Stick to your respective counting centres, counting rooms and counting tables till the end. I am assuring you that we will be winning at sunset,” she said.

According to her, since the counting for many more rounds is yet to be completed, there was no reason to worry. “We are all with you. We will win finally. Be assured. Do not be scared. Fight till the end like tigers,” the Chief Minister said.