KOLKATA, 2 May: Mamata Banerjee rode the BJP challenge to take her Trinamool Congress to triumph for a third consecutive term in West Bengal on Sunday, while Tamil Nadu and Puducherry voted against the incumbent as the AIADMK prepared to cede space to the opposition DMK-led alliance.
Punjab Chief Minister and Congress leader Amarinder Singh congratulated TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and DMK chief MK Stalin for their parties’ victory in the West Bengal and Tamil Nadu assembly polls, respectively, while Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the people have reposed faith in regional parties in elections to the state assemblies whose results were declared on Sunday.
“They have sent a clear message to the BJP that they did not appreciate attempts to try to break up regional parties,” he said.
In a statement here, Cheema said it was clear from the poll results that people felt regional parties were best able to understand regional aspirations and act upon them.
“These elections are truly a victory of regional parties. The people have also rejected politics or polarization of the BJP and have voted for secular performance-driven politics,” he said. (PTI)