Desk Correspondent , Kolkata - In a dramatic turn during the counting of votes for the West Bengal Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a commanding lead, surging past the halfway mark with leads in 181 seats compared to the Trinamool Congress (TMC)'s 90. This development signals a potential historic shift in the state, where the BJP has never formed a government before. As trends emerged on Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee issued a fiery video message urging her party workers to stay vigilant at counting centres, dismissing early numbers as fabricated and predicting a reversal in later rounds.

In her address, Banerjee made several startling claims that have intensified the political storm. She asserted that the TMC was still leading in around 100 seats, but these figures were being deliberately withheld by the Election Commission and the BJP. Labeling the displayed numbers as "fake," she instructed supporters not to leave the counting centres, warning that the real picture would emerge only after 14-18 rounds when trends would turn in TMC's favour. Banerjee further accused the BJP and the Centre of "looting votes" through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and claimed her party was being "tortured from all directions." She also highlighted fluctuations in her own Bhabanipur constituency, where leads shifted rapidly, while noting that her rival Suvendu Adhikari was performing variably in Nandigram.

The high-stakes contest has gripped the state amid allegations of irregularities and heightened tensions between party agents. Banerjee's SOS message to cadres reflects the TMC's desperate bid to counter the BJP's momentum, even as the saffron party inches closer to a majority. Political observers note that these claims come as exit polls and early trends point to a significant BJP breakthrough. With counting still underway, the final outcome remains awaited, but the developments have already sparked debates on electoral integrity and the future of Bengal politics. The situation underscores the fiercely competitive nature of the polls, with both sides trading accusations in what could mark a watershed moment for the eastern state.