The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is on track to form the government in West Bengal after crossing the majority mark in assembly elections [1].
This shift represents a historic breach of the political fortress maintained by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress (TMC), potentially altering the power dynamic in one of India's most contested states.
Vote counting began at 8 a.m. across 293 constituencies [3]. The BJP is currently leading in more than 180 seats [1], surpassing the threshold required to secure a majority in the assembly.
Reports indicate the BJP has breached the TMC stronghold in Kolkata. In the Bhabanipur constituency, the margin of victory was 6,226 votes [2].
The ruling TMC has responded to the results with allegations of electoral malpractice. The party said the BJP is looting votes and removing TMC agents at counting centres, specifically citing issues at a facility in South Kolkata [2, 3].
The BJP is seeking to secure a definitive majority to establish a new state government [1, 3]. While counting continues across the state, the current trajectory suggests a significant defeat for the TMC-led administration.
“The BJP is currently leading in more than 180 seats.”
A BJP victory in West Bengal would signal a major collapse of the TMC's regional dominance and a successful expansion of the BJP's influence into eastern India, which has historically resisted the party's platform.
