PM congratulates Sonia, Buddhadeb, Karunanidhi

New Delhi, May 11 (UNI) Describing the poll results as a ''magnificent victory for secular forces,'' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today congratulated Congress President Sonia Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and DMK President M Karunanidhi.

The Prime Minister spoke to the three leaders and offered ''heartiest congratulations,'' a PMO spokesman said.

''It is a magnificent victory for secular forces,'' Dr Singh said.

While Ms Gandhi has registered a resounding victory in the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha bypoll, her Congress party appeared set to retain power in Assam and Pondicherry, besides belying the exit poll prediction of a mauling of the UDF in Kerala at the hands of the LDF.

In West Bengal, the CPI(M)-led Left is all set to form a new government for the seventh time in a row.

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