Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will form the government in West Bengal after winning the legislative elections [1].

This victory marks the first time the BJP will lead the state government, signaling a major shift in the political landscape of eastern India after years of Trinamool Congress (TMC) rule [1, 2].

Modi said to party workers in Kolkata on May 2, 2024, following the announcement of the results [1, 2]. The BJP secured 206 seats [1] out of a total of 293 in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly [1]. The Trinamool Congress won 81 seats [1].

During the rally, Modi said that the "mood favouring the BJP" was evident throughout the state [1]. He said that the election result was a mandate for a new direction in governance rather than a punitive action against the previous administration. "The people of West Bengal have chosen change, not revenge," Modi said [1].

Beyond the formal addresses, the Prime Minister interacted with local citizens and street-food vendors in Kolkata [2]. During a stop at a jhal muri stall, Modi said to the seller, "Pyaaz khaate hain, dimag nahi" [2].

The BJP campaign framed the election as an opportunity for the electorate to seek a different path for the state. The victory removes the TMC from power and establishes the BJP as the dominant political force in the region [1, 2].

“"The people of West Bengal have chosen change, not revenge"”

The BJP's victory in West Bengal represents a significant breach of a long-standing political stronghold for the Trinamool Congress. By securing a substantial majority of 206 seats, the BJP has not only shifted the state's governance but also strengthened its ideological footprint in a region previously resistant to the party's platform.