 "West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee smiles at a press conference after her party's thumping win in West Bengal Assembly elections in Kolkata. (Photo: PTI)")
With the Trinamool Congress headed for a landslide win in the assembly polls on Thursday, party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dubbed as a "blunder" the CPI (M) and Congress decision to forge a tie-up and flayed the central forces for committing "excesses".
Addressing mediapersons after her party surged ahead in over 200 of the 294 seats, Banerjee attacked the central forces for "terrorising" voters during the polls.
"The biggest loss in this poll has been that of the CPI (M). It's (tie-up) is a blunder for the CPI (M), for state politics and for the Congress, it's a blunder for their national politics," said Banerjee.
"They have compromised with ideology; CPI (M) will have to give explanation for that," said Banerjee flaying the Marxist-led Left Front for entering into a tie-up with the Congress.
"In 2004 I was the lone MP for my party, but I never compromised. If you compromise your ideology, you lose everything. If your character is lost, everything is lost. They have lost everything, now they will realise that," said Banerjee, targeting the combine that seems headed to finish with a poor tally of substantially less than 100 seats.
Castigating the central armed police forces for "excesses" during the polls, Banerjee reminded her rivals of maintaining the "Lakshman Rekha" in politics.
"There was an attempt to create an environment of fear but people overcame that and voted fearlessly.
"There have been many instances including in my constituency Bhabanipore where many families couldn't come out to vote because of the terror perpetrated by the central forces," said Banerjee who during her high decibel campaign constantly attacked the Election Commission for transferring many top police and district officers during the six-stage polls.
"Today I have one thing to say, in politics there has to be a Lakshman Rekha ... the terror that was created, I don't think this is welcome for democracy.
"There was a constant effort to mislead the people, whoever did that, it is a danger signal for democracy," said Banerjee referring to the allegations of corruption against her party, including the Narada sting operation in which several Trinamool leaders were "caught" accepting bribes.
"So many conspiracies, so many allegations but people have rejected all that and voted for development. It is a new dawn for the state," said Banerjee.
She said all victorious Trinamool nominees will hold a meet on Friday and the swearing in ceremony will be organised on May 27.
