Kolkata, May 4 (IANS) BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is ahead in the high-profile Bhabanipur constituency in south Kolkata in early trends of West Bengal Assembly elections where he is contesting against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

After two rounds of counting, Adhikari is leading by a margin of 1,558 votes. It may be noted that Adhikari is also leading in Nandigram Assembly constituency by a margin of 7,698 votes in East Midnapore district.

Speaking to media persons following the early trends, Adhikari said, “BJP is forming the government. Initial trends show BJP is ahead in 135 plus seats and Trinamool Congress ahead in over 100 seats. It will be a neck-to-neck fight in Bhabanipur. I salute my Hindu voters for giving me a lead. There is anti-incumbency, plus Hindus are consolidated in favour of the BJP. This is a very good signal for us.”

In 2021, Adhikari had defeated Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram by a slim margin of 1,956 votes.

After the first hour of counting of votes for the two-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal on Monday, the trend was showing a neck-and-neck battle between the ruling party and the Opposition BJP, with the BJP slightly ahead of the Trinamool Congress.

After the first three hours of counting, the tally for the BJP’s initial lead was 127, followed by the Trinamool Congress’ 87.

Congress candidates are yet to take a lead in any seat, while the CPI(M)-led Left Front candidates were leading in one seat. Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) chairman Humayun Kabir is leading from Rejinagar in Murshidabad district.

There will be a minimum of ten rounds and a maximum of 26 in terms of counting rounds based on the constituency-wise number of voters.

–IANS

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