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BJP wins majority in West Bengal state election, defeating incumbent TMC

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BJP Secures Historic Victory in West Bengal, Defeats TMC

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a majority of seats in the 2025 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, defeating the incumbent All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) government led by Mamata Banerjee.

The final results were declared on May 4, 2025, following voting held in April. The election in West Bengal was one of several state elections held simultaneously, alongside votes in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, and Assam.

Election Results

According to the Election Commission of India, the BJP secured or was leading in a majority of the 294 assembly seats.

  • Source 1 reports the BJP won or led in 200 seats against the TMC's 87.
  • Sources 2 and 3, citing partial results, reported the BJP had won at least 124 seats and was leading in 83 others, giving it a clear majority.

This result marks the BJP's first time governing West Bengal. The party's previous best performance in the state was 77 seats in the 2021 election. Voter turnout was reported at a record 92.93%.

Background

The TMC, founded by Mamata Banerjee in 1998 after she left the Indian National Congress, had governed West Bengal since 2011. The BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, campaigned on Hindu majoritarian themes and accused the TMC of appealing to Muslim voters. Banerjee positioned herself as a national challenger to Modi but also faced anti-incumbency after 15 years in power.

Factors Cited by Analysts

Analysts cited several factors contributing to the election outcome:

  • Anti-incumbency: Voter discontent with the TMC's governance, including perceived interference in daily life and a failure to address economic aspirations.
  • Religious polarization: The BJP's campaign focused on Hindu consolidation. Urban male voters were reported to be particularly polarized.
  • Pre-election voter list revision: The Election Commission of India (ECI) removed about 9 million voters from the rolls. Opposition parties, including the TMC, alleged this disproportionately disenfranchised Muslim voters. The ECI stated the revision was standard procedure. Analyst Neelanjan Sircar stated that the voter list revision contributed to polarization.
  • Security forces deployment: The federal government deployed 2,400 paramilitary companies. The TMC argued this intimidated voters, while the BJP stated it ensured fair elections.

Statements

Suvendu Adhikari, BJP leader in West Bengal, stated there was "Hindu consolidation" and thanked Hindu voters. He referred to the TMC as a "pro-Muslim party."

Mamata Banerjee, in a video statement, accused the central forces of oppressing the TMC and urged party workers to remain at counting booths. She also indicated she would contest the outcome.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi told supporters that the results show the BJP's widening appeal in West Bengal, stating, "A new chapter has been added to Bengal's destiny."

Analyst Praveen Rai said the TMC failed to address anti-incumbency and that the loss weakens Banerjee's national prospects.

Other Election Results

Results were also declared on the same day for other state elections:

  • In Tamil Nadu, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party, led by actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay, defeated the ruling DMK party.
  • In Kerala, the Indian National Congress-led opposition defeated the ruling communist government.
  • In Assam, the BJP returned to power for a third consecutive term.

Implications

Analysts stated that the BJP's victory in West Bengal offsets the party's setback in the 2024 national elections, where it fell short of a majority. The result is also seen as consolidating the BJP's dominance and challenging the opposition.