Mamata claims 226 seats in Bengal polls, BJP says 'game over'

A day after West Bengal completed the second phase of its Assembly elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the Trinamool Congress would win at least 226 of the state's 294 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party countered the claim, saying her "game has ended," reports Hindustan Times.

According to the report, TMC chief further alleged that the BJP pressured a section of the media to publish fictitious exit poll data showing its landslide victory so that share prices do not crash.

"We are forming the government of Ma, Mati and Manush (mother, land and people)," Banerjee said in a video message today (30 April), a day after the second and final phase of polling in 142 seats in Kolkata and six south Bengal districts, where the BJP won only 18 seats in 2021.

Of the 152 seats in 16 districts that went to polls in the first phase on 23 April, the BJP won 59 in 2021.

However, BJP leaders claimed that the record turnout of 93.19% in Phase 1 and 92.67% in Phase 2 pointed towards the TMC's downfall.

In response, Banerjee alleged that the exit poll numbers were circulated from a BJP office while the second-phase election was under way.

"I know for sure that the exit poll numbers shown on television were circulated from a BJP office on Wednesday (29 April). A section of the media was pressured to publish it because our tally may reach 230 as well. We are surely crossing the 226 mark because people voted for us spontaneously," Banerjee said.

"BJP played its last game using the media only to demoralise our workers and keep the share market steady. I have specific information regarding this. The market will crash if the truth is exposed. This was done after the 2021 and 2026 Assembly polls as well," she added.

Today's Chanakya projects BJP landslide in Bengal

BJP is headed for a massive win in West Bengal, polling agency Today's Chanakya exit poll predicted today.

Today's Chanakya released its exit poll assessment this evening and projected a landslide victory for the BJP in the West Bengal Assembly elections, estimating 192 seats for the party against TMC's 100.

Today's Chanakya projection marks the fifth exit poll to give the BJP an advantage in West Bengal.

Peoples Pulse estimates the party could secure 95-110 seats, while Matrize places it higher at 146-161. P-Marq gives an even broader range of 150-175, and Poll Diary predicts 142-171 seats.

All the pollsters projected a close contest between the TMC and BJP in West Bengal.