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Mamata lost Nandigram to Suvendu in 2021. He defeats her again in Bhabanipur
Adhikari, who took the lead after several rounds of counting were complete, polled over 67,000 votes in the high-stakes contest.
The closely-watched electoral battle between BJP's Suvendu Adhikari and Trinamool Congress chief went down to the wire Monday, ending in the former breaching the TMC stronghold.
Adhikari, in what seemed to be a reiteration of the 2021 Nandigram electoral battle, defeated incumbent Bengal chief minister Mamata by a margin of over 15,000 votes.
The BJP candidate, who took a lead after several rounds of counting were complete, polled over 67,000 votes in the high-stakes contest. The dramatic shift in the constituency played out even as the early lead taken by Mamata was overturned in the last rounds of counting of votes.
Overall, the BJP swept the polls in West Bengal, securing over 200 seats in the state, while the TMC was decimated to around 80 seats.
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What were the concluding figures in Bhabanipur?
Adhikari polled 73,917 votes in the constituency, winning by a margin of 15,105 votes. TMC chief Banerjee received 58,812 votes, followed by CPI(M)'s Shrijeeb Biswas who secured 3,556 votes.
The sharp swings in the latter half of the counting process in Bhabanipur had been predicted by BJP's Suvendu Adhikari earlier today, even as he told reporters that Mamata would take an early lead, but he would “make up” for that in later rounds.
The contest in Bhabanipur was a closely watched one, following the Nandigram electoral battle between Banerjee and Adhikari in the previous Assembly elections in 2021. In 2021, Adhikari had notably defeated Banerjee in Nandigram, securing 49% of the vote share then.
‘Resounding triumph for every citizen’: Suvendu thanks Bengal voters
After his victory, Adhikari thanked the voters of West Bengal, saying he was “eternally indebted to the brave and resilient people of Nandigram and Bhabanipur.”
The BJP leader said the BJP's victory was also a “resounding triumph for every citizen”. “The People of West Bengal have spoken, and their voice has ushered in a new dawn of hope,” he said in a post on his official X handle.
He especially thanked the women voters in Bhabanipur and Nandigram for their “unwavering trust.”
“To my Sisters & Brothers in both of these Constituencies, thank you for placing your unwavering trust in me and electing me as your voice. Your blessings is my greatest strength, and I pledge to serve you with every breath, ensuring that your aspirations are fulfilled,” he said.
Adhikari thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union home minister Amit Shah, BJP National President Nitin Nabin, and other national and state leaders for the victory.
