BJP Gains Ground in West Bengal, Election Results Show Significant Shift
April 21, Kathmandu – Vote counting is underway following the assembly elections in West Bengal. Current trends indicate that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is nearing victory and has already begun preparations to celebrate. For the first time, BJP is poised to form the government in West Bengal, overtaking the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Mamata Banerjee, which had been in power continuously since 2011. In the 294-member legislative assembly, BJP is surpassing the clear majority mark while TMC appears to be limited to fewer than 100 seats. According to the latest trends, BJP leads in 205 seats, with TMC ahead in 82. Other parties such as the Indian National Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the All India Secular Front are leading in two seats each. Meanwhile, the Aam Janata Unnayan Party leads in two seats as well.
Exit polls had predicted a BJP victory, though there had been some skepticism about whether BJP could actually win in Bengal. The election results have validated those exit polls. In stark contrast to the 2021 assembly elections, where TMC secured a commanding majority with 213 seats, BJP was limited to 77 seats as the runner-up. At that time, TMC secured 48.02% of the vote share and BJP 38.15%. Congress and the Left Front managed to win just a single seat each. The current results demonstrate a complete reversal of electoral dynamics. TMC is projected to lose 131 seats from its previous two-thirds majority.
The shift in vote percentages is also historic. BJP’s vote share has reached 45.56%, marking a 7.41% increase from 2021. Meanwhile, TMC’s vote share has dropped from 48.02% to 40.81%. This change evidences a structural transformation in West Bengal’s political landscape. Voter turnout has also been historic, rising from 81.8% in 2021 to 92.47% this time, which Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar declared the highest ever since India’s independence.
BJP’s influence in the Presidency division, considered politically significant in West Bengal, is remarkable. In the 111-seat Presidency area, where TMC won 96 seats in 2021, the party now holds only 51 seats according to current leads; BJP is ahead in 55 seats. Notably, BJP leads in old TMC strongholds such as Shyampukur, Entally, and Maniktala in Kolkata. The biggest upset is in Diamond Harbour, the stronghold of Abhishek Banerjee, where BJP candidate Deepak Kumar Haldar leads. Strong rural and reserved constituency support appears to ensure a BJP majority overall.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting from Bhabanipur and holds a slim lead over BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari. Initial trends showed Adhikari ahead. Adhikari has claimed victory by maintaining his lead in Nandigram, confirming BJP’s win there. The election results also represent a major blow to TMC’s cabinet, with more than 20 ministers expected to lose their seats. Prominent defeats include Udayan Guha from Dinhata, Sahina Mumtaz Khan from Nabdah, and Shashi Panja from Shyampukur, highlighting leadership and organizational weaknesses within TMC.
After BJP’s surge in initial trends, Chief Minister Banerjee has raised serious questions about the Election Commission’s role. “Displaying initial results in favor of one side is their strategy,” she stated. She accused the counting process of irregularities, alleging deliberate slowing or halting of vote tallying in some areas. Banerjee instructed TMC workers not to leave counting centers and to remain patient until the final results.
The Left Front and Congress continue to show signs of weakness. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), which governed West Bengal for 34 years, is leading in only two seats, continuing its decline. The All India Secular Front (AISF), allied with the Left, fielded candidates in 29 constituencies but is ahead in just one. The Congress is similarly limited, leading in only two seats.
These results confirm deep structural changes in West Bengal’s politics. Analysts say BJP’s win is not just an electoral success but a significant ideological breakthrough. It also provides BJP with a strong base ahead of the 2029 general elections. Mamata Banerjee, who ended 34 years of Left rule in 2011, is now poised to be out of power after 15 years. Following Assam, this victory represents a decisive milestone in BJP’s strategy for expansion in Eastern India. However, the serious allegations Banerjee has raised against the Election Commission could intensify political tensions. Opposition parties in India have long questioned the Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s role, and Banerjee’s comments may exacerbate political discord in the coming days.