Madarihat is significant as the BJP held a lead of near about 29,000 votes in 2021. In 2021, the BJP secured an 11,000-vote lead from the Madarihat seat. For the TMC, gaining Madarihat is a significant victory, as they were trailing in this seat, particularly since it is located in North Bengal, considered a BJP stronghold.
TMC chief Mamata Banerjee thanked the voters in a post on X.
মা-মাটি-মানুষকে জানাই বিনম্র চিত্তে অভিবাদন। জয় বাংলা ???????? pic.twitter.com/FUQxCI1xW2
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 23, 2024
TMC’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee congratulated the winners on X.
Congratulations to all six @AITCofficial candidates for their decisive victories in the WB bye elections, defying the narratives created by the ZAMINDARS, the media and a section of the Kol HC to defame Bengal for their own vested interests. A special thanks to the people of…
— Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) November 23, 2024
TMC leader Jayprakash Majumdar said, “Before by-polls, a lot of unrest took place, but Mamata Banerjee has given the right leadership and showed people that TMC is always with people. There were a lot of bad campaigns against TMC; still, we have won. We have snatched Madarihat from BJP because people understood that BJP can’t keep up to any promise. We have done well in two urban areas, Naihati and Medinipur, whereas it was said that we will not do well there.”
BJP REACTS
Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said, “By-polls results can be like this. We are winning Maharashtra, and in 2026, we will win.”
BJP’s Amit Malviya posted on X: “In the recently concluded elections, West Bengal was the only state, which saw political violence and death. Unless the ECI goes the extra mile to ensure free and fair poll, restrain the local administration, there is little merit in holding elections. This is a blood tainted win for Mamata Banerjee.”
In the recently concluded elections, West Bengal was the only state, which saw political violence and death.
Unless the ECI goes the extra mile to ensure free and fair poll, restrain the local administration, there is little merit in holding elections.
This is a blood tainted…
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) November 23, 2024
In the recently concluded elections, West Bengal was the only state, which saw political violence and death.Unless the ECI goes the extra mile to ensure free and fair poll, restrain the local administration, there is little merit in holding elections.
NO RG KAR IMPACT?
While all the seats involved in the by-polls were TMC dominated, experts are raising questions about the lack of impact the RG Kar protests had on the ruling party’s performance. Despite the widespread protests and public anger over the RG Kar incident, the by-poll results clearly indicate no discernible effect.
Political experts suggest that the RGKAR incident primarily affected urban areas, particularly Kolkata. The by-poll seats, excluding Naihati and Medinipur, are in rural areas. In Naihati and Medinipur, TMC’s strong organisation and the ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ scheme are believed to have contributed to their success, according to sources.
Former BJP MLA of Madarihat and MP of Alipurduar, Manoj Tigga, said, “Something has gone wrong in Madarihat. John Barla did not get a ticket, and he must have done something.”
John Barla, the former BJP Minister, was seen with TMC leaders several times before the election.
While ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ is undoubtedly a contributing factor to TMC’s victory in these five by-polls, the lack of impact of the RG Kar incident, despite the scale of protests, raises important questions, according to experts.
Some experts attribute the lack of impact to the fact that voting did not occur in urban areas and Kolkata, where the RGKAR incident might have had a more significant effect, said a senior Left leader. However, a senior leader from the Left party disagrees with this view.
