Bengal decisive win for ‘idea of India’, shows BJP’s poll juggernaut not invincible: Shashi Tharoor

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday hailed Mamata Banerjee-led TMC's electoral triumph in the West Bengal Assembly polls as a "decisive win for the idea of India" and asserted that the BJP had met its match in Bengal and lost.

Tharoor, who campaigned extensively for the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the Kerala polls, also expressed disappointment with the results in the state where the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front was all set to retain power with a thumping mandate.

"It's a day of disappointment for many of my friends and colleagues in @INCKerala. You fought a good fight. The energy and commitment I've seen from you is the party's greatest strength," Tharoor said.

"We must not be disheartened. There is work ahead to renew and revive our party, and to serve the people," he said in a series of tweets.

Tharoor congratulated Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan "for his remarkable re-election, a first in 44 years".

"It is our duty to respect the confidence the people have shown in him and his government. In the fight against COVID and communalism, he (Vijayan) should have our support," tweeted the MP from Thiruvananthapuram.

Hailing Mamata Banerjee on the Trinamool Congress' (TMC) performance in Bengal, Tharoor said on Twitter, "Congratulations to @MamataOfficial Mamata Banerjee on her spectacular victory over the forces of communalism and intolerance."

The voters of Bengal have demonstrated where their hearts lie, he said.

"The BJP has met its match in Bengal, and lost," Tharoor tweeted.

Later, in another tweet, he said Bengal is a decisive win for the "idea of India, an inclusive, pluralist India where your religion or region don't matter. It shows BJP's electoral juggernaut is not invincible. And it reasserts the value of a federal India where States resist the overweening power of the Centre".

The TMC was ahead in or had won on 213 seats of the 292 seats in the West Bengal polls, way over the victory mark of 147. The BJP was leading on or had won 77 seats.

Tharoor also congratulated DMK chief M K Stalin on the "convincing and decisive" victory in Tamil Nadu polls.

"All Congress workers are happy to be allied with a party that will restore good governance to Tamil Nadu. Together we must stand for co-operative federalism & #InclusiveIndia," he said of the DMK-Congress alliance win.

After a decade in opposition, the DMK was on course to capture power from the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu according to the trends made available for the 234 seats.