Modi's BJP Wins Historic Victory in India's West Bengal State
Yashraj Sharma
For the first time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP has won control of West Bengal, a historic victory over Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress. The result marks a major political shift in India, driven by religious polarization and voter list controversies.
New Delhi, India – Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP has won a landslide victory in West Bengal, a historic first for the party in a state where it was once considered weak. With vote counting on May 4 showing the BJP winning or leading in 200 of 294 seats, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of Mamata Banerjee secured only 87 seats.
This victory is seen as the result of a well-organized campaign focused on religious polarization and exploiting dissatisfaction with the incumbent government. Seema Das, a domestic worker in New Delhi, traveled two days back to her village to vote. A former TMC supporter, she was convinced that Ms. Banerjee “favored Muslims.”
The TMC has governed since 2011 with policies protecting religious and minority rights, but faced criticism over corruption and interference in daily life. Political analyst Rahul Verma of Shiv Nadar University noted: “There is support for Mamata, but also strong opposition to the TMC machinery. People are unhappy with interference in their daily lives.”
Elections in West Bengal saw nearly 68.2 million voters turn out, a record 92.93%. Notably, before the elections, India’s Election Commission conducted a special voter list revision (SIR), removing over 9 million people—nearly 12% of total voters—sparking controversy. Opposition parties and human rights activists argued this disproportionately affected Muslim voters.
Ms. Banerjee petitioned India’s Supreme Court, which only ordered the ECI to publish the names of those affected without restoring voting rights for millions. The federal government also deployed 2,400 paramilitary units to the state—a record—raising concerns about voter pressure.
Yet, analysts agree that the voter list revision alone cannot explain BJP’s victory. “The scale of polarization caused by the voter list revision is hard for outsiders to understand,” said Neelanjan Sircar, a fellow at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi.
BJP state leader Suvendu Adhikari declared: “There has been a consolidation of Hindu voters. Thank you to all Hindu Sanatani people who voted for the BJP.” He called TMC a “pro-Muslim party.”
The result also carries deep symbolic weight: Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh—the BJP’s precursor—hailed from West Bengal. The BJP’s win marks a major shift in India’s political landscape, bolstering Prime Minister Modi’s position after the 2024 national election, when his party nearly lost its majority.
In her first reaction, Ms. Banerjee urged party workers not to leave counting stations: “It is the use of force by central forces to crush the Trinamool Congress. Don’t be afraid. We will fight like tiger cubs.” Analysts predict continued tensions after this outcome.
