TMC wins by-polls in West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee calls it a 'miracle'

Kolkata: In a major boost for TrinamoolCongress supremo Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, facing the heat of Saradha scam, swept crucial Bongoan Lok Sabha and an assembly bypolls reasserting its political supremacy in West Bengal, on Monday, where BJP is trying to make inroads.

TMC not only retained Bongaon Lok Sabha and Krishnaganj assembly seats but also substantially increased its victory margins. The Bongaon LS seat is a predominatly rural consitutency located in North 24 paraganas district bordering Bangladesh, while Krishnaganj is a semi-urban constituency in Nadia district.

Following Monday's victory, the number of TMC MPs in Lok Sabha remained unchanged at 34. Banerjee, who was speaking to the media in Purulia district, termed the results as "a miracle" which proves that her party has not been impacted by either the Saradha scam - or reports of internal dissent within it. "This is a miracle result. People's magic... They have bowled all the controversies out," Banerjee said.

TMC is "intact and strong", she said and attacked BJP by adding the results were "People's rejection of the conspiracy by Delhi and a slanderous campaign by BJP and a section of the media". In a veiled message to TMC leaders who are speculated to leave the party, Banerjee said "it (TMC) is number one strong party in the world. No one can divide TMC and if any individual (airs his opinion), he or she has the prerogative.

But the party remains strong and united and this is our collective family. With the victory of Mamatabala Thakur the percentage of elected women members (of TMC) in Parliament has increased to 35.2 per cent ... which is two per cent more than the reservation demanded for women, Banerjee, West Bengal chief minister, said soon after the victory.

The result showed that TMC's lead has increased substantially in both Bongaon and Krishnaganj. While TMC candidate Mamatabala Thakur won the polls in Bongaon by a margin of 2.11 lakh votes, a record since the constituency was created in 2009, Satyajit Biswas, the ruling party candidate from Krishnaganj, won by a margin of about 37,000 votes.

Mamata Bala Thakur's husband Kapil Krishna Thakur, whose death necessiated the by-election, had won the seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha poll by a margin of 1,46,000 votes.