Elections 2014: Enthused by Lok Sabha show, BJP to strengthen its West Bengal base for the 2016 Assembly election

KOLKATA: Elated over its performance in West Bengal, the BJP today said it would prepare for the 2016 Assembly election by strengthening the party base in the state capitalizing on the performance. The BJP leadership also felt that the Trinamool's dream run in the Lok Sabha polls, in which it is clearly leading in 34 out of 42 seats, is due to the division of anti-TMC votes between opposition parties.

"It is due to the division of anti-TMC votes in the state that TMC had such a dream run. If we had an organisation like CPI(M) we could have delivered much much better," said Rahul Sinha, state BJP Chief. He said that Mamata Banerjee needed to understand the mood of Bengal voters.

"They have voted for the BJP for its good governance and development and have warned her not to follow vote bank politics. In any case, the 2016 assembly polls will be fought on the TMC versus BJP plank," senior BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh told PTI. The BJP has taken a handsome lead in 2 out of 42 seats.