Maharashtra leaders hail Mamata's victory, say 'Bengal rocks'

Mumbai, May 2 (IANS) Top political leaders in Maharashtra hailed the impending victory of the ruling Trinamool Congress in the West Bengal Assembly elections, as the final results continue to trickle in on Sunday.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray called up Trinamool supremo and West Bengal Chief Minster Mamata Banerjee for her party's impressive performance and said "the entire credit for this victory goes to the Bengal Tigress".

"Mamata Banerjee was fighting alone for the self-respect of the Bengali people. Her courage must be appreciated. In the end, she won," said Thackeray.

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Thackeray said that the Bharatiya Janata Party used all its might to vanquish Banerjee, but she blew them away.

"Now that politics is over, let's all focus on the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. I heartily congratulate her (Banerjee) and the courageous people of West Bengal," said Thackeray.

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar said: "Congratulations on your stupendous victory! Let us continue our work towards the welfare of people and tackling the pandemic collectively."

Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole said Banerjee's victory proves that the PM has failed to control the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.

"To defeat a lone woman, PM Modi, his entire cabinet, BJP leaders from all over India abandoned the country during the pandemic to campaign for the West Bengal polls. They misused power, government machinery and moneypower, attacked the Bengali pride and self-respect, but the people of that state have given them an appropriate reply," said Patole.

He said that the BJP's defeat in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have clearly confirmed that the Modi government has miserably failed in handling the pandemic.

BJP's Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis said that now West Bengal has become "Communist-Mukt" and "Congress-Mukt" with the BJP improving its performance in a big way in the eastern state.

"Now, the BJP has become a formidable challenger in Bengal. Now, the state has left behind the Leftist ideology, and the saffron era has begun as Hindutva has got a firm foothold there," Fadnavis said.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray said that the "constant struggle has been the core" of Banerjee's political journey and it reached the epitome in the recent West Bengal elections in which she emerged victorious.

"Both Maharashtra and West Bengal have always resonated similar perceptions and backdrop whereby artistic and a progressive thought process takes precedence. To keep up with this legacy, its imperative that the states get adequate autonomy, a sense of regional identity and pride," said Raj Thackeray.

Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said: "Congratulations to the Bengal Tigress. Time for West Bengal to heal, the bitterness this battle saw was unprecedented. You all fought well and you deserve this win."

Sena leader and Bollywood actress Urmila Matondkar said: "Today, a daughter of Bharatmata, with the blessings of Lord Ram, has flown the victory flag in West Bengal. Hats off to a single, strong woman's spirit, fortitude and perseverance. Bengal rocks!"

Pawar and Patole have also congratulated the top leaders of the winning parties in both Tamil Nadu and Kerala, urging that now all should unite in the war against the pandemic that has gripped the country.