Here's how PM Narendra Modi congratulated Mamata Banerjee on taking oath as West Bengal CM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Trinamool Congress Supremo Mamata Banerjee for taking oath as the chief minister of West Bengal for the third consecutive term. The greetings by PM Modi assumes significance as invitees from the BJP had boycotted the ceremony in protest against the post-poll violence in the state. Banerjee was administered the oath by West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar following her landslide victory in the recently-concluded assembly elections in the state. 

The oath-taking ceremony was held in a subdued manner amid the COVID-19 pandemic with 67 invitees. Notable guests who were invited to the ceremony include former CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, BJP state President Dilip Ghosh, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, poll strategist Prashant Kishor, and others. All elected BJP MLA's took oath at the Hastings Election Office in presence of party president JP Nadda.

West Bengal Assembly Election Results 2021

According to the Election Commission (EC), the TMC has won 213 seats while the BJP has garnered 77 seats in the 2021 assembly elections. Other alliances consisting of Congress-Left-ISF failed to bag even a single seat, while Independent candidates have bagged two seats. The results were a big leap for the saffron party which had won only 3 seats in the 2016 elections and has now managed to reach a vote share of 38.13% against TMC's 47.94%.

Although the TMC has won the elections with a clear majority surpassing the 200 seat mark, Mamata Banerjee lost the prestigious Nandigram seat to Suvendu Adhikari, the only seat she contested from. This means that Banerjee would have to get elected to the assembly within six months of assuming office as the CM. Mamata Banerjee cried foul over the Nandigram defeat and has expressed her intention of challenging the Nandigram result in the Supreme Court.

Violence broke out in parts of West Bengal on Sunday evening even as trends and results poured in from the assembly election. Houses and vehicles of some BJP candidates have been destroyed while many have been killed in the political violence. Workers of the Left parties and the Indian Secular Front have also been targeted. The Congress and Left have also slammed the TMC over the violence. Hundreds of the BJP supporters and workers have fled the state and have taken refuge in Assam.

(IMAGE: ANI / PTI)