05-11-2006, 03:28 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Red rides Kerala, Bengal; blow to Jaya </b>
Agencies | New Delhi
The communists are set to sweep two out of five assembly elections as votes were counted on Thursday. At least three major states may get new governments.
<b>Buddhadeb wins with greater margin in West Bengal</b>
In West Bengal, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee won from the Jadavpur constituency in south Kolkata with a huge margin.
Bhattacharjee's emphatic win this time in the 274,932-voter-strong constituency in South 24 Parganas district is reflective of his popularity and charisma that was working wonders across the state.
His victory margin has gone up from 29,281 in 2001 to 58,130 in 2006.
"It is not my victory but our victory. It is the victory of the people. I thank them," Bhattacharjee said.
Both the Congress and the Trinamool Congress had fielded candidates against the Chief Minister.
The 2006 poll has been largely seen as a mandate for the Chief Minister's image as an able administrator and his pro-reform stand.
Crushing its rivals, West Bengal's ruling Left Front was all set for a seventh consecutive term with a three-fourths majority in the 294-member assembly.
Among other notable winners are Trinamool Congress candidate and Tollywood actor Tapas Pal who beat his screen colleague Biplab Chatterjee of the CPI-M in Alipore in south Kolkata and ace swimmer Bula Chowdhury, a CPI-M candidate, in Nandanpur in West Midnapore.
Subhas Chakraborty, transport and sports minister, also won in Belgachia East in north Kolkata under North 24 Parganas district.
The CPI-M suffered a major setback in south Kolkata where its important leader Rabin Deb lost to Javed Khan of Trinamool in Ballygunge.
<b>Karunanidhi does not rule out coalition govt in TN</b>
DMK President M Karunanidhi said he would decide on the question of forming a coalition government in Tamil Nadu after consulting leaders of the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA).
Addressing a press conference, amid news that the DPA front was heading for a massive victory in the May 8 Assembly polls, a buoyant Karunanidhi said, "once the complete results are out, we will decide on the formation of Government after holding talks with the leaders of alliance partners".
Karunanidhi, however, gave an indication that his party was not averse to sharing with the allies.
When asked whether the state is heading for a coalition government for the first time in its history, he said if it becomes a reality, the credit should go to the DPA combine.
The DMK chief profusely thanked the people of the state for giving a clear mandate to the DMK-led front and also the leaders of alliance partners and the workers of various parties, who have worked tirelessly for the success.
<b>UDF veterans suffer humiliating defeat in Kerala</b>
In Kuttipuram, former Industries Minister and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) General Secretary PK Kunhalikutty, who had a strong base in the constituency, was defeated by KT Jaleel, the IUML youth leader who was expelled from the party.
Kunhalikutty was defeated by a margin of 8,781 votes.
Another IUML candidate and Education Minister ET Mohammed Basheer could not retain the Tirur seat. PP Abdulla Kutty of the CPI(M) defeated Basheer by a margin of 8,680 votes.
Also in the list is former Minister TM Jacob, who merged his Kerala Congress (J) with K Karunakaran's Democratic Indira Congress (K), who tasted his first electoral defeat in Piravam.
<b>Assam headed for a hung assembly</b>
Assam is all set to have a coalition government with the ruling Congress unlikely to reach the magical half-way mark on its own in the 126-member Assembly.
With trends available for 104 constituencies, the Congress has won three seats and was leading in 45 others. The party held 72 seats in the outgoing assembly.
Its nearest rival, the AGP has won only one seat so far and was ahead in 19 constituencies. The BJP was ahead in nine seats, CPI(M) in three, Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF) six, while others in 17.
The Congress has won the Thowrah, Sonari and Mahmara seats though it suffered a setback in Amguri when Transport minister and Congress heavyweight Anjan Dutta lost to Prodip Hazarika of AGP.
The Congress, however, has a pre-poll understanding with a faction of the Bodoland Peoples Progressive Front (Hagrama), leaving five seats uncontested in the Bodoland areas.
The party was also hoping to form a coalition government with the help of independents and the AUDF, if possible.
<b>Congress retains power in Pondicherry</b>
The Congress-led Democratic Progressive Alliance retained power in the Union Territory winning 17 of the 25 seats declared by afternoon.
With the AIADMK combine winning nine seats till 1 pm, even if they emerge victorious in all five remaining seats, they cannot overtake the DPA tally.
There are 30 seats in the Territorial Assembly in the enclaves of Pondicherry, Karaikal, Yanam and Mahe.
So far, the Congress had won eight seats, followed by its ally the DMK with six seats. The PMK had secured three seats.
The rival AIADMK-led Democratic People's Alliance managed to secure only three seats. The Puducherry Munnetra Congress of former Congressman P Kannan, has won three seats, but Kannan lost election.
Two seats went to independents. The MDMK, an AIADMK ally, has made its presence felt in the Union Territory for the first time by winning one seat
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Agencies | New Delhi
The communists are set to sweep two out of five assembly elections as votes were counted on Thursday. At least three major states may get new governments.
<b>Buddhadeb wins with greater margin in West Bengal</b>
In West Bengal, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee won from the Jadavpur constituency in south Kolkata with a huge margin.
Bhattacharjee's emphatic win this time in the 274,932-voter-strong constituency in South 24 Parganas district is reflective of his popularity and charisma that was working wonders across the state.
His victory margin has gone up from 29,281 in 2001 to 58,130 in 2006.
"It is not my victory but our victory. It is the victory of the people. I thank them," Bhattacharjee said.
Both the Congress and the Trinamool Congress had fielded candidates against the Chief Minister.
The 2006 poll has been largely seen as a mandate for the Chief Minister's image as an able administrator and his pro-reform stand.
Crushing its rivals, West Bengal's ruling Left Front was all set for a seventh consecutive term with a three-fourths majority in the 294-member assembly.
Among other notable winners are Trinamool Congress candidate and Tollywood actor Tapas Pal who beat his screen colleague Biplab Chatterjee of the CPI-M in Alipore in south Kolkata and ace swimmer Bula Chowdhury, a CPI-M candidate, in Nandanpur in West Midnapore.
Subhas Chakraborty, transport and sports minister, also won in Belgachia East in north Kolkata under North 24 Parganas district.
The CPI-M suffered a major setback in south Kolkata where its important leader Rabin Deb lost to Javed Khan of Trinamool in Ballygunge.
<b>Karunanidhi does not rule out coalition govt in TN</b>
DMK President M Karunanidhi said he would decide on the question of forming a coalition government in Tamil Nadu after consulting leaders of the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA).
Addressing a press conference, amid news that the DPA front was heading for a massive victory in the May 8 Assembly polls, a buoyant Karunanidhi said, "once the complete results are out, we will decide on the formation of Government after holding talks with the leaders of alliance partners".
Karunanidhi, however, gave an indication that his party was not averse to sharing with the allies.
When asked whether the state is heading for a coalition government for the first time in its history, he said if it becomes a reality, the credit should go to the DPA combine.
The DMK chief profusely thanked the people of the state for giving a clear mandate to the DMK-led front and also the leaders of alliance partners and the workers of various parties, who have worked tirelessly for the success.
<b>UDF veterans suffer humiliating defeat in Kerala</b>
In Kuttipuram, former Industries Minister and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) General Secretary PK Kunhalikutty, who had a strong base in the constituency, was defeated by KT Jaleel, the IUML youth leader who was expelled from the party.
Kunhalikutty was defeated by a margin of 8,781 votes.
Another IUML candidate and Education Minister ET Mohammed Basheer could not retain the Tirur seat. PP Abdulla Kutty of the CPI(M) defeated Basheer by a margin of 8,680 votes.
Also in the list is former Minister TM Jacob, who merged his Kerala Congress (J) with K Karunakaran's Democratic Indira Congress (K), who tasted his first electoral defeat in Piravam.
<b>Assam headed for a hung assembly</b>
Assam is all set to have a coalition government with the ruling Congress unlikely to reach the magical half-way mark on its own in the 126-member Assembly.
With trends available for 104 constituencies, the Congress has won three seats and was leading in 45 others. The party held 72 seats in the outgoing assembly.
Its nearest rival, the AGP has won only one seat so far and was ahead in 19 constituencies. The BJP was ahead in nine seats, CPI(M) in three, Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF) six, while others in 17.
The Congress has won the Thowrah, Sonari and Mahmara seats though it suffered a setback in Amguri when Transport minister and Congress heavyweight Anjan Dutta lost to Prodip Hazarika of AGP.
The Congress, however, has a pre-poll understanding with a faction of the Bodoland Peoples Progressive Front (Hagrama), leaving five seats uncontested in the Bodoland areas.
The party was also hoping to form a coalition government with the help of independents and the AUDF, if possible.
<b>Congress retains power in Pondicherry</b>
The Congress-led Democratic Progressive Alliance retained power in the Union Territory winning 17 of the 25 seats declared by afternoon.
With the AIADMK combine winning nine seats till 1 pm, even if they emerge victorious in all five remaining seats, they cannot overtake the DPA tally.
There are 30 seats in the Territorial Assembly in the enclaves of Pondicherry, Karaikal, Yanam and Mahe.
So far, the Congress had won eight seats, followed by its ally the DMK with six seats. The PMK had secured three seats.
The rival AIADMK-led Democratic People's Alliance managed to secure only three seats. The Puducherry Munnetra Congress of former Congressman P Kannan, has won three seats, but Kannan lost election.
Two seats went to independents. The MDMK, an AIADMK ally, has made its presence felt in the Union Territory for the first time by winning one seat
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