Kolkata, May 2 (PTI) The ruling TMC surged ahead of challenger BJP in West Bengal, leading in 101 of the 156 seats from where trends were available till 10:30 am.

According to the Election Commission website, the BJP was leading in only 53 places.

The two parties were locked in a neck-and-neck contest in the initial stages of counting.

Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee was, however, trailing her BJP rival and sitting MLA Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram.

West Bengal has a 294-member assembly but elections could not be held for Shamsherganj and Jangipur seats due to the death of candidates.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)