Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded the BJPโs resounding victory in the Falta Assembly repoll in West Bengal, after the party routed the Trinamool Congress by over one lakh votes in a constituency traditionally considered an unassailable TMC fortress.
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The BJPโs Debangshu Panda clinched the seat with 1,49,666 votes, comfortably defeating CPI(M) candidate Sambhu Nath Kurmi by a massive margin of 1,09,021 votes. Kurmi managed to secure 40,645 votes, whilst Congress candidate Abdur Razzak Molla came in a distant third with 10,084 votes. In a shocking turn of events for the ruling state party, TMC candidate Jahangir Khan collapsed into fourth place with a mere 7,783 votes, forfeiting his deposit in a constituency his party had continuously held since 2011. The BJPโs vote share skyrocketed to 71.2 per cent from its 2021 figure of 36.75 per cent, whereas the TMCโs share plummeted to just 3.7 per cent.
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Taking to X, Prime Minister Modi described the outcome as a triumph for democracy and a clear endorsement of the BJPโs governance. He congratulated Debangshu Panda on his record-breaking win, stating that the people of Falta had spoken, proving that democracy had won and intimidation had lost. He added that the result reflected the unwavering faith of the people of West Bengal in the BJP and their appreciation for the party’s cross-sector work, while also thanking party workers across the state for their outstanding efforts.
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The Falta seat has historically been a key component of the TMCโs politically dominant Diamond Harbour belt, with the party comfortably retaining the seat in 2021 with a nearly 57 per cent vote share. However, this repoll completely flipped the political landscape. The Election Commission had ordered a fresh vote across all 285 polling stations on May 21 following a bizarre string of complaints during the April 29 election, which included allegations that perfume-like substances, ink marks, and adhesive tapes had been used to tamper with EVMs.
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The subsequent repoll was conducted under heavy security, but the political dynamics had already shifted. Two days before the vote, the TMC’s Jahangir Khan announced he was stepping aside in the interest of Falta. Because the deadline for withdrawing nominations had already passed, his name remained on the ballot. Local residents noted that the TMC’s campaign completely vanished during the run-up to the repoll, with party offices remaining locked and Khan completely absent from the public eye.
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Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari hailed the verdict as definitive proof of what happens when voters are actually allowed to exercise their franchise without fear. In a post on X, Adhikari saluted the electorate of Falta for delivering a resounding mandate that surpassed the one-lakh victory margin he had hoped for. He launched a scathing attack on the TMC, labelling it a mafia company that relies on state machinery and intimidation. Without naming names, Adhikari also took a swipe at TMC General Secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee, mocking a fraudster who parachuted into the region and claimed the title of commander. Warning that this result was just the beginning, Adhikari claimed West Bengal was paving the way for a much larger rejection of the ruling party. Following his victory, a triumphant Panda thanked the local voters, noting that the electorate had finally been able to cast their ballots freely and fairly.
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Also read: BJP wins Bengal’s Falta Assembly seat by over 1 lakh votes
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