NEW DELHI, May 2: Congratulations poured in for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the TMC’s big victory in the West Bengal assembly polls, even as she lost her battle with her protege Suvendu Adhikari in the Nandigram seat. Leaders across party lines hailed her as a “fighter” who led the TMC to victory against the might of the BJP.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi who fought a bitter battle with Banerjee on the field congratulated her and ensured the Centre’s support. “Congratulations to Mamata Didi for @AITCofficial’s win in West Bengal. The Centre will continue to extend all possible support to the West Bengal Government to fulfil people’s aspirations and also to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic,” Modi tweeted.
He also congratulated the other winners and wished them luck. Congratulatory messages from opposition leaders poured in for Banerjee, MK Stalin and Pinarayi Vijayan — the three leaders opposed to the saffron party.
From NCP Chief Sharad Pawar to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, all of them hailed the fight that the leaders fought. Pawar described Banerjee’s victory as “stupendous”.
“Let us continue our work towards the welfare of people and tackling the pandemic collectively,” Pawar tweeted. He also congratulated Vijayan for his consecutive wins and said Stalin’s victory was a well-deserved one.
“Congratulations @MamataOfficial didi for landslide victory. What a fight! Congratulations to the people of WB,” tweeted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Banerjee who has been unshakable in her support for Kejriwal, referring to him as her younger brother, received applause for the “fight” she put up. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi congratulated Stalin and said people voted for change. “People of Tamil Nadu have voted for change and we will, under your leadership, prove to be a confident step in that direction. Best wishes,” he said.
Hailing Banerjee on the TMC’s performance in Bengal, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said her victory was over the “forces of communalism and intolerance”. “The BJP has met its match in Bengal, and lost,” he tweeted.
CPI leader D Raja acknowledged Banerjee as a fighter and said her victory was a “slap” on the face of the BJP. “The BJP’s campaign was aggressive and negative and they stooped to such lows without thinking of the sentiments of the people just for electoral gains,” Raja said.
“Mamata fought back and everybody knows that she is a fighter. One may not agree with her politics, but cannot deny that she is a fighter and that’s what she showed. This victory is a huge slap on BJP’s face that despite all its might and manipulations, they couldn’t make it,” Raja said.
This is apparent in some of the congratulatory statements made by opposition leaders. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav congratulated the people of the state for being “conscious” and hailed the efforts of workers and the “combative” chief minister in defeating the “politics of hate” of the BJP.
Yadav also hailed Stalin for his “remarkable” victory. The Shiv Sena, which shares power in Maharashtra with the NCP and Congress, came out showering praise on the Bengal leader.
“Mamata Banerjee has sent out a clear message — that Modi Ji and Amit Shah Ji are not invincible. They can also be defeated,” Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut told reporters.
BJP leaders like Rajnath Singh and Nirmala Sitharaman also congratulated the trio. “Congratulations to the Chief Minister of West Bengal, @MamataOfficial Didi on her party’s victory in West Bengal assembly elections. My best wishes to her for her next tenure,” Singh said, lauding Vijayan for his party’s victory in the state assembly polls.
Finance Minister Sitharaman also congratulated Banerjee in a tweet and said, “Good wishes for your next tenure.” She also congratulated Vijayan and conveyed her wishes in Tamil to DMK supremo Stalin. (PTI)
