Dola Sen Dismisses Exit Polls, Says Bengal Belongs to Mamata Banerjee

Talking to IANS, Sen said: "We don't bother about exit polls. I don't know whether you were in journalism then or not, but we have seen exit polls in 2021 -- and not only in 2021, but also in 2016, 2019, and 2024. We have witnessed them repeatedly. But Trinamool Congress is Trinamool Congress, and Mamata is Mamata (CM Mamata Banerjee)."

"There are two aspects. First, the BJP desperately wants Bengal, so they are dreaming big. They are here, trying their best, and naturally, they are hopeful. This election has also been unprecedented, especially with the involvement of the Election Commission, deployment of large numbers of central forces, transfer of 496 IPS officers out of 506 across the country -- most of them from Bengal -- along with micro-observers, logistical arrangements, and several other measures. They have tried everything this time, so they have begun dreaming even more. Let them dream; I extend my best wishes for their dreams," she added.

However, she added that those aspirations would not materialise.

"It is unfortunate that their dream will not come true. Let them dream, but Bengal is of Mamata, for Mamata, and by Mamata," she reiterated.

Fellow Trinamool MP, Saugata Roy, also dismissed the exit poll findings. "No, I do not agree with exit polls at all. I question both their methodology and their results. If one looks at past elections, exit polls have never been entirely accurate," he said.

Meanwhile, Matrize exit polls indicate significant gains for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the West Bengal Assembly elections. According to the survey, the BJP is expected to secure between 146 and 161 seats, with a projected vote share of 42.5 per cent.

The ruling Trinamool is projected to win between 125 and 140 seats. The Mamata Banerjee-led party is estimated to secure a vote share of 40.8 per cent, while other parties may win 6 to 10 seats, accounting for 16.7 per cent of the vote.

- IANS