Kolkata, May 4 (BNP): In a dramatic political shift, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday crossed the majority mark in the West Bengal Assembly elections, derailing Mamata Banerjee’s bid for a consecutive fourth term and marking a potential end to over a decade of All India Trinamool Congress dominance.
According to trends released by the Election Commission of India, the BJP is leading in 156 seats, comfortably surpassing the majority mark, while the Trinamool Congress is ahead in 86 seats. Its ally, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (Bimal faction), is leading in one seat.
If these trends hold, the BJP is poised to form its first-ever government in the state—ending 15 years of Trinamool rule and following a prolonged 34-year tenure of Left Front governments, which had previously defined West Bengal’s political landscape.
Reacting to the party’s strong performance, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari expressed confidence, stating that the BJP would secure over 180 seats. He also took a swipe at the ruling party, underscoring the scale of the BJP’s surge.
The election also witnessed an unprecedented voter turnout. West Bengal recorded one of its highest participation rates since Independence, with 93.19% polling in Phase I and 91.66% in Phase II, taking the combined turnout to an impressive 92.47%.
For context, in the 2021 Assembly elections, the Trinamool Congress had secured a decisive mandate with 213 out of 294 seats and nearly 48% vote share, while the BJP emerged as the principal opposition with 77 seats and around 38% votes—marking a significant rise from its earlier performance. The Left-Congress alliance failed to open its account.
As counting continues, all eyes remain on the final outcome, which could redefine the political trajectory of West Bengal and signal a historic satta parivartan in the state.