Thanking the people because the Trinamool Congress headed for a landslide victory within the assembly elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Sunday that West Bengal has “saved” India with its mandate. Banerjee said tackling the COVID-19 pandemic was her priority, asking party leaders to not organise any victory rally. “It is that the victory of the people of Bengal, the victory of democracy. Bengal has saved India today. This landslide victory came after fighting against several odds — the Centre, its machinery, its agencies. This victory has saved the humanity,” Banerjee said, addressing the press as she stood on her feet for the primary time in nearly two months. “I am doing well now. I told you a couple of days back that I even have recovered and can remove the plaster,” she said, pertaining to the injury she received on March 10 during her visit to Nandigram, which forced her to continue the election campaign on a wheelchair.
The Trinamool has taken a lead on 214 out of the 292 seats that visited polls. The BJP may be a distant second with leads on 76 seats, and therefore the Congress was ahead in one constituency.