Kolkata, May 4 -- As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) surged ahead in the early hours of counting of votes, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee asked her party's counting agents not to lose hope and abandon their posts, promising them that the TMC would emerge victorious by evening.

"I would request the counting agents and candidates not to leave the counting centres. This is BJP's plan. I have been telling since yesterday that the results of those booths where the BJP was expected to take the lead would be flashed first. Results of booths where the TMC is expected to win would be aired later. In many areas counting has been stopped after the first two to three rounds," Banerjee said in a video message.

The BJP took a lead in 192 a...