New Delhi: While a day of victory and defeat on the counting day of five assembly elections did not completely displace the tragic news of the continuing devastation by the Covid-19 pandemic across the country on Twitter, it did create a buzz that is still ringing in the ears.
Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress’s landslide and comprehensive victory in West Bengal against the BJP’s well-oiled election machine was celebrated by many.
However, the BJP’s usual social media suspects — Amit Malviya, Sambit Patra and Tajinder Singh Bagga — were strangely silent on Twitter.
It was left to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to be gracious in defeat.
Congratulations to the Chief Minister of West Bengal, @MamataOfficial Didi on her party’s victory in West Bengal assembly elections. My best wishes to her for her next tenure.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) May 2, 2021
Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut said what many people thought of the woman of the moment.
Congratulations Tigress of Bengal..
ओ दीदी,
दीदी ओ दीदी!
@MamataOfficial @derekobrienmp @MahuaMoitra pic.twitter.com/orDkTAuPr3
— Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) May 2, 2021
And at least two people recognised the power of Goddess Durga — over ‘Jai Shree Ram’ perhaps?
What Chanakya didn't say:
Maa Durga can fight all the demons single-handedly.
— Anil Swarup (@swarup58) May 2, 2021
Durga loves her fish. Don't give her dhokla.
— Devdutt Pattanaik (@devduttmyth) May 2, 2021
Actor Richa Chadha hailed the victory with a play on one of the more famous lines of the Trinamool Congress’ campaign: ‘Khela hobe’.
Yeah, despite all that …
only KELA HOBE ? pic.twitter.com/Aj8vewlm8Q— TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) May 2, 2021
While CM Mamata hasn’t reacted on social media so far, TMC leader Derek O’Brien celebrated the victory with an alphabet soup and warned people of the perils of taunting women.
MO+SHA +?BJP?+ CBI ?️♀️ + ED ?+ EC ?️ + GODI MEDIA ? + TRAITORS + ?? < DIDI + AB + TMC WORKERS + BENGAL
We will win over #Covid as well, for WE CARE for people
— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) May 2, 2021
Never taunt a woman in my State or anywhere else. Never ever. pic.twitter.com/XB3kM81HZ1
— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) May 2, 2021
Meanwhile, the Congress did not comment on its huge losses in Bengal and Assam but Rahul Gandhi did recognise the consolation prize in Tamil Nadu.
Congratulations to Shri MK Stalin for the victory.
People of Tamil Nadu have voted for change and we will, under your leadership, prove to be a confident step in that direction.
Best wishes.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 2, 2021
Congress MP from Kerala Shashi Tharoor wished Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan “all the best”.
Congratulations to @MamataOfficial Mamata Banerjee on her spectacular victory over the forces of communalism and intolerance. The voters of Bengal (& esp Nandigram) have demonstrated where their hearts lie. The BJP has met its match in Bengal, and lost.
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 2, 2021
Other Congressmen such as Sanjay Jha and Abhishek Manu Singhvi acknowledged Didi while Karti Chidambaram saw the road ahead leading to Delhi.
Mamata Banerjee is now a national-level alternative for the UPA. She has not only stopped the huge BJP juggernaut but has pushed it back.
— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) May 2, 2021
The way to Raisina Hills is via Chowringhee Lane.
— Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) May 2, 2021
Other opposition leaders who gloated over Mamata’s victory, also recognised victories for M.K. Stalin in Tamil Nadu and Vijayan in Kerala. These include Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, National Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar, Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi, Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, People’s Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti and many others.
Many congratulations to @mkstalin on a resounding victory in the Tamil Nadu assembly polls. I wish him a successful tenure and the very best in fulfilling the aspirations of people of Tamil Nadu.
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 2, 2021
Congratulations @MamataOfficial on your stupendous victory!
Let us continue our work towards the welfare of people and tackling the Pandemic collectively.— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) May 2, 2021
Heartiest congratulations to you @MamataOfficial Ji on this historic victory against all odds. I wish you good health.
I would also like to thank & congratulate people of Bengal who wholeheartedly voted for Didi & didn’t fall for vitriolic & divisive propaganda of BJP.
— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) May 2, 2021
Congratulations Hon’ble @vijayanpinarayi Ji on this stellar victory. I am sure you would lead Kerala to new benchmarks in welfare indices. I extend my best wishes and pray for your healthy life.
— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) May 2, 2021
प. बंगाल में भाजपा की नफ़रत की राजनीति को हराने वाली जागरुक जनता, जुझारू सुश्री ममता बनर्जी जी व टीएमसी के समर्पित नेताओं व कार्यकर्ताओं को हार्दिक बधाई!
ये भाजपाइयों के एक महिला पर किए गए अपमानजनक कटाक्ष ‘दीदी ओ दीदी’ का जनता द्वारा दिया गया मुँहतोड़ जवाब है।
# दीदी_जिओ_दीदी pic.twitter.com/wlnUmdfMwA
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) May 2, 2021
Congratulations to @MamataOfficial @AITCofficial @derekobrienmp
on their splendid victory today. Kudos to the people of West Bengal for rejecting disruptive & divisive forces.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) May 2, 2021
Behind every successful woman, there is sometimes a man, and in this case, many on Twitter recalled what Mamata’s election advisor Prashant Kishor had prophesied months ago — and how it came to pass.
So #PrashantKishore is now trending and he here's to stay ??? pic.twitter.com/wVo3X7vwNg
— dr. meena kandasamy | இளவேனில் மீனா கந்தசாமி (@meenakandasamy) May 2, 2021
And what does one say when it all goes wrong?
Mark my words
BJP will win Bengal with absolute majority. We will talk on 2nd May after 6 PM. @jankibaat1#PradeepExitPoll
— Pradeep Bhandari(प्रदीप भंडारी) (@pradip103) April 29, 2021
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mocking words ‘Didi, oh Didi’ may come to haunt him now. At least, author Shobhaa De and actor Siddharth think so
Didi O Didi! Who would have thought this version of Laila O Laila would do the trick in favour of Didi? #ElectionResult
— Shobhaa De (@DeShobhaa) May 2, 2021
Modiiii…Ohhh Modiiii… #Elections2021
— Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) May 2, 2021
And Kangana Ranaut, in her inimitable way, demonised hyenas, the Rohingyas and Bangladesh, all in one tweet.
Ha ha ha what is amusing now hyenas having a field day,even though BJP performed well every where but still after very long they got an opportunity to corner him, enjoy your day.
But remember he will rise again like he always does … #BengalElection2021 #Bengal pic.twitter.com/QuQt27qF7D
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) May 2, 2021
And, here is what a self-confessed chaiwala thought of another.
The Prime Minister, Health Minister & Home Minister of this country abandoned all of us in the middle of a raging pandemic for an election that they've lost.
भूलने तो नहीं देंगे।
— Shruti Chaturvedi (@adhicutting) May 2, 2021
At least one Bengali boasted of what many believe to be true, with this saying by 20th century social reformer and politician Gopal Krishna Gokhale.
What Bengal thinks today, India will think tomorrow??
— Birsa Dasgupta (@BirsaDasgupta) May 2, 2021
And let’s end with a tweet that reminds us how most of us will remember Mamata Banerjee in this David vs Goliath encounter.
A woman in a wheelchair. Boom! #WestBengalElections2021
— Menaka Guruswamy (@MenakaGuruswamy) May 2, 2021
(Edited by Rachel John)