The 2016 poll season ended on Thursday with as much excitement as it began. The Bharatiya Janata Party swept Assam in a historic win, the incumbents in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal survived another day, the Left returned to power in Kerala, and the Congress lies in rubble.
Television punditry began early morning as trends poured in from the five election states. Every data point was analysed by talking heads and every constituency was dissected to hypothesise on the performance of candidates and parties.
True to form, social media had no patience for nuance. Though the Election Commission site was still showing early leads, subject to updates later, social media was drowning in noise and jumping to conclusions. However, the day belonged to Twitter wits and jokesters, who used the gift-wrapped opportunity to create an avalanche of humour.
Here is a selection of gags:Congress perfomance in 5 states.
— PhD in Bakchodi !! (@Atheist_Krishna) May 19, 2016
#Verdict16
. pic.twitter.com/2VmYFQDuHo
Modi looking for states where Congress is in power. #Verdict16 pic.twitter.com/EjMbXK96EC
— Psycho (@i_Psycho) May 19, 2016
#Verdict16 #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/JYUHw2uSQi
— Faking News (@fakingnews) May 19, 2016
Sreesanth trailing. He tends to struggle in IPL season #Verdict16
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) May 19, 2016
BJP wins Assam because we didn't contest there ~ Kejriwal. #Verdict16
— ओमर अब्दुल्लाह (@abdullah_0mar) May 19, 2016
Sreesanth's reaction after the defeat in Kerala #Verdict16 pic.twitter.com/9Q9oPY60dm
— Sarco Da Gama (@Sarcodagama) May 19, 2016
World leaders react to Tamil Nadu election result. pic.twitter.com/p79sBOIW2X
— Paresh Rawal (@Babu_Bhaiyaa) May 19, 2016
As J Jayalalithaa took her throne for another five-year term, some expressed hope that the pre-election push on alcohol prohibition in Tamil Nadu will slow down.
Most importantly, TASMAC survives.
— Local Tea Party (@localteaparty) May 19, 2016
After winning Bengal elections twice, Mamata Banerjee is now looking to go pan India. She will become Didi National.
— Sagarcasm (@sagarcasm) May 19, 2016
Didi is doing a Kohli to Congress in WB, Amma is doing a VVS to DMK in TN
— Ratnakar Sadasyula (@ScorpiusMaximus) May 19, 2016
Tarun Gogoi and the Congress party in Assam, after the poll results! #Verdict16 pic.twitter.com/KP3KSypbPx
— Arjun Swami (@arjunswami) May 19, 2016
@BJP4India after Today's Results.#Verdict16 #TNElectionResults O Rajagopal Sarbananda Sonowal #MakeAmericaGreatAgain pic.twitter.com/OXXiBQHHPR
— Donald J. Trump (@TrumpForIndia) May 19, 2016
Digvijaya Singh of Congress, in front of his party office #Verdict16 @coolfunnytshirt pic.twitter.com/f8fZFQhz0y
— Dharmesh Kumar (@iKitKet) May 19, 2016
Didi stands in front of Alimuddin Street pic.twitter.com/s8cFcHOQT5
— greatbong (@greatbong) May 19, 2016