Bengal: Shatrughan Sinha turns Opposition 'khamosh' with landslide Asansol bypoll win

Asansol: Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha registered a landslide victory in Asansol parliamentary constituency bypoll, according to the results put out by the Election Commission on Saturday.

Sinha, who recently joined Trinamool Congress (TMC) secured 6,56,358 votes with a winning margin of over 3 lakh over Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Agnimitra Paul, who took second place by winning 3,53,149 votes. CPIM's Partha Mukherjee bagged 90,412 votes while Congress candidate Prasenjit Puitandy got 15,035 votes.

After the massive win, Sinha said, "Earlier in some places 'Khela Hobe' used to happen with EVMs but here free and fair elections were held without any fear. This win is of TMC, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the people of Asansol. I have never seen such an overwhelming response and love."

Asked whether he had made BJP 'khamosh', he said, "People have already done that (silenced the BJP). Mamata Banerjee is the country's favorite and popular leader. She will be a game-changer (in 2024 polls) and we will stay with her where she goes including Bihar," added the 'Kalicharan' actor.
Saturday has been a happy-go-lucky day for the ruling party in Bengal as the TMC won both Asansol parliamentary and Ballygunge Assembly seats by-elections. In Ballygunge, TMC candidate Babul Supriyo won the bypolls securing 51,199 votes.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the Kalighat temple in Kolkata after the bypolls results.
The Asansol Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after Supriyo, a two-time BJP MP, quit the BJP in October last year and joined the TMC.

The Ballygunge Assembly seat bypoll was necessitated after the demise of state Minister Subrata Mukherjee.
Polling for one parliamentary constituency Asansol and one assembly constituency Ballygunge in West Bengal was held on April 12. (ANI)