After neck to neck start, TMC surges ahead in Bengal

Kolkata, May 02: The ruling TMC surged ahead of challenger BJP in West Bengal, leading in 101 of the 156 seats from where trends were available till 10:30 am.

According to the Election Commission website, the BJP was leading in only 53 places.

The two parties were locked in a neck-and-neck contest in the initial stages of counting.

Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee was, however, trailing her BJP rival and sitting MLA Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram.

West Bengal has a 294-member assembly but elections could not be held for Shamsherganj and Jangipur seats due to the death of candidates.