"Public rejected Mamata Banerjee": BJP's Ritesh Tiwari as counting begins for West Bengal assembly polls

He asserted that the "public has rejected" Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Speaking to ANI, Tiwari said, "The people of Bengal have voted for us for a landslide victory. From Gangotri to Gangasagar, the Bharatiya Janata Party government, the double-engine government, is just a few hours away. The public has rejected her (Mamata Banerjee)."

Counting is underway across 823 constituencies in key regions including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Keralam, Assam, and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

The process begins with postal ballots, followed by the counting of Electronic Voting Machines from 8:30 am, with round-wise results being updated in real time on the ECINET platform and the Election Commission's official portal.

Security has been tightened across all counting centres ahead of the process.

Exit polls for West Bengal have projected a tight contest on the 294 seats between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress (TMC). While some projections, including Chanakya Strategies and Matrize, have given an edge to the BJP, others suggest a closer fight with TMC retaining a significant share of seats. Smaller parties are also expected to play a limited role in the outcome.

As the counting began, patrolling was being carried out with armoured vehicles in West Bengal's Malda. Meanwhile, several strong rooms swiftly opened across Keralam, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, before the beginning of the counting procedure.

A verbal spat broke out between polling agents of both parties, in which TMC alleged of not allowed to take files and a pen inside the counting centre; however, the same was allowed to the BJP polling agents.

"They are not allowing us to take files or pens inside, but the BJP polling agents are allowed to take them inside. Rules should be the same for everyone. We are the people of Mamata Banerjee. There is no bigger identity than this," a TMC polling agent said. (ANI)