Storm Modi sweeps Bengal

The results and early trends of the West Bengal Assembly elections on Monday pointed to a tectonic shift in the state’s political landscape, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) poised to form its first government in the state, long dominated by the Congress, the Left Front, and the Trinamul Congress (TMC).

According to data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the BJP had won 176 seats and was leading in nearly 32 constituencies as counting progressed across 293 Assembly segments till 9.30 p.m. The TMC, which has been in power for 15 years under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, managed to secure 59 seats and was leading in around 20 others (till 9.30 p.m.), indicating a sharp reversal from its sweeping victory in the 2021 Assembly polls. The BJP’s confirmed wins came from Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Monteswar, Bhatar, Medinipur, and Asansol Dakshin. Among notable victories, Bharat Kumar Chetri clinched Kalimpong by 21,464 votes, while Angimitra Paul registered a commanding margin of 40,839 votes in Asansol Dakshin. Sankar Kumar Guchhait triumphed in Medinipur by 38,747 votes, and Saikat Panja secured Monteswar with a margin of 14,798 votes. Karfa Soumen won Bhatar by 6,528 votes, and Noman Rai emerged victorious by 6,057 votes.

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In contrast, the TMC retained Bhagawangola in Murshidabad district, where its candidate Reyat Hossain Sarkar defeated his nearest rival by a margin of 56,407 votes. However, the party’s overall performance suggested significant erosion of its support base across regions. The saffron surge marks a historic moment for the BJP, which had been a marginal player in West Bengal politics for decades.

The party had secured 77 seats in the last Assembly elections but now appears set for a dramatic expansion, reflecting the effectiveness of its campaign that targeted the ruling dispensation on multiple fronts, including governance issues and the contentious SIR of electoral rolls. Polling for the elections was conducted on 23 and 29 April. Counting was held for 293 seats, as polling in the Falta constituency in South 24-Parganas district was countermanded.

Significantly, sources within the TMC indicated that at least 23 ministers were trailing in their respective constituencies, underlining the scale of the challenge faced by the ruling party. Among prominent leaders, education minister Bratya Basu was trailing by over 10,000 votes, while senior leader Manas Ranjan Bhunia lagged by around 4,450 votes. Women and child development minister Shashi Panja and finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya were also behind by margins of nearly 5,000 and 3,878 votes, respectively.

In Singur, a politically symbolic constituency, BJP candidate Arup Kumar Das was leading by 4,924 votes over TMC’s Becharam Manna.

Earlier minister Snehasis Chakraborty was leading by 4,693 votes till 6.30 p.m. Several other ministers, including Sujit Bose, Pulak Roy, Sabina Yasmin, Srikanta Mahato, and Birbaha Hansda, were also reported to be behind their rivals.

The trends assume added significance as the TMC government had relied heavily on its welfare schemes and grassroots organisational strength, with many of these leaders serving as key faces of governance.

The apparent setback suggests a broader shift in voter sentiment across both urban and rural constituencies. Meanwhile, the Congress and the Left parties continued their marginal presence, leading in just two and one seats respectively, indicating their limited impact on the evolving electoral dynamics.

As counting continues, the emerging verdict signals not just a change in government but potentially a redefinition of West Bengal’s political trajectory.

To add insult to injury TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee was humbled in her bastion Bhawanipore by 15,114 votes by her bete noire Suvendu Adhikari.

A furious Mamata Banerjee attributed the shock Bengal results to “loot, loot, loot”, underscoring that her party, the Trinamool, will bounce back.

Banerjee, who was aiming for a fourth term, targeted the Election Commission, calling it the “BJP Commission” after results showed the BJP in the lead and her party a distant second.

“More than 100 seats BJP looted. The Election Commission is the BJP’s commission. I complained to the CO and also Manoj Agrawal, but they are not doing anything,” Banerjee, surrounded by security personnel, told reporters.