That Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress would continue to be in the driving seat of West Bengal politics was anticipated. But no opinion or exit poll could anticipate such a stellar show by her party.
The Trinamool has improved its tally substantially by cornering nearly 39 per cent vote share. That is in line with its performance in the 2011 Assembly elections, when the party was part of the UPA.
The BJP has managed to increase its vote share to 17 per cent, against 6 per cent in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. The majority of Muslim voters rallied behind the Trinamool. The State has the second largest Muslim population after Jammu and Kashmir.
The Left was dented from both ends. It could not reap the anti-incumbency votes (either against the Congress or the Trinamool); nor could it stop the erosion in vote share.
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