Trinamool surges in West Bengal

While Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party earned an overall record majority in the 16th Lok Shaba polls, Trinamool Congress (TMC) led the tally of votes counting in 42 constituencies in West Bengal.
Initial trend of counting in West Bengal points towards a best-ever performance for the TMC, which is leading in 34 of the 42 seats in the State, reports The Hindu.
BJP however bagged 4 seats; leftist Communist Party of India (Marxists) 2 and India National Congress 4 seats, according to the Election Commission site.
In the entire south Bengal, the TMC leading in almost all constituencies, has secured 39 per cent of votes.
CPM has registered 22.9 24 per cent and the BJP 17.7 18 per cent.
Congress has bagged 9.2 per cent of the votes, the EC site maintains.
The trend has come as a major setback for the left parties who are leading in two seats in the State.
The BJP has emerged as a major force, with its candidates leading in Darjeeling, Alipurduar and Asansol.
The Congress has maintained stronghold in the districts of Malda and Murshidabad.
Altogether 48 counting venues, comprising 69 counting centres, have been set up, which would be directly supervised by 43 general observers and 55 counting observers, Assistant CEO Amitjyoti Bhattacharya told a local daily today.