Live: Mamata Banerjee defeats Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram in a close battle

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee won from Nandigram constituency by 1200 votes, defeating senior BJP leader  Suvendu Adhikari. 

As the news arrived from the counting centre that chief minister won from Nandigram seat by 1200 votes over her BJP rival Suvendu Adhikari, celebration followed around TMC supremo's residence at Kalighat where she was seen was walking for the first time since March 10.

The incumbent chief minister, who was trailing at the end of the third round, began taking a lead in the East Midnapore district, where she was pitted against her former Cabinet colleague-turned-adversary Suvendu Adhikari.

Ms Banerjee finally was declared winner in a hard fought battle of votes by 1200.

A shamiyana was also erected at the courtyard of the chief minister residence in Kalighat where Ms Banerjee was expected to address a media conference soon.

The Mamata Banerjee led TMC was now leading in 212 seats while the BJP at 78 seats and two others as the latest trend showed.

Of the votes counted so far, the ruling Trinamool Congress has secured 48.52  percent, while the BJP got 37.55 percent, as per the Election Commission. 

Speaking on the TMC's thumping victory in West Bengal, TMC Kamarhati candidate Madan Mitra said the party's seat share is massive and unexpected.

"There is no doubt that Mamata will be the chief minister," Mitra said as he thanked the people of Bengal for voting heavily in favour of the Mamata-led TMC.," he said. 

Meanwhile, BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya  credited Mamata Banerjee fo the TMC's astounding performance in Bengal elections, and said his party would introspect the poll results    

"The TMC won because of Mamata Banerjee. It seems people have chosen Didi. We will introspect what went wrong whether it was organisational issues, lack of face, insider outsider debate. We will see what went wrong," he added. (UNI)