Bengal: Trinamool ahead in 21 LS seats, BJP 11 (2nd Lead)

West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress is leading in 21 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state while the BJP is ahead in 11 and Congress in two constituencies after two hours of counting on Thursday.

Union Ministers Babul Supriyo and S.S. Alhuwalia were ahead in their respective Lok Sabha constituencies of Asansol and Burdwan-Durgapur by establishing a substantial margin of votes.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew and Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee is leading over his nearest rival Nilanjan Roy of BJP by close to 20,000 votes.

In Bongaon Lok Sabha seat, that is dominated by the Dalit Matua community BJP candidate and late Matua matriarch Binapani Thakur's grandson Shantanu Thakur is leading over his aunt and Trinamool Congress' sitting MP Mamata Bala Thakur.

Several Trinamool stalwarts like state minister Subrata Mukherjee (Bankura) and sitting MP Kalyan Banerjee (Sreerampore) are trailing.IANS