Vote counting concuded in West Bengal on Monday, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dipicting a powerful show. The saffron party got 207 out of 294 constituencies, while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) managed to accumulate only 81 seats.
The BJP is set to form the next government in the state, ending the TMC’s 15-year tenure in power.
While the BJP has traditionally enjoyed greater support in North Bengal, this election has seen the party make notable inroads into South Bengal—an area long regarded as a TMC stronghold. The party performed extremely well in key districts such as Kolkata, Howrah, and Hooghly.
BJP seat gains in Bengal
The BJP won 207 seats, marking a significant surge for the party compared to the 2021 Assembly elections, when it secured 77 seats. This reflects a gain of 130 seats. The rise may be attributed to an intensive campaign led by senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
BJP’s vote share in Bengal
As per the Election Commission, 29,224,167 votes have been cast in favour of the BJP, a figure which is significant. In comparison, the TMC received 26,013,379 votes. In percentage terms, the BJP has secured 45.84% of the vote, while the TMC stands at 40.80%.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, the TMC had garnered 28,968,281 votes, while the BJP received 22,905,474 votes—a difference of approximately 6 million votes in favour of the TMC. The TMC’s vote share at that time was 48%, compared to the BJP’s 38%.
BJP’s organisation growth in Bengal
The verdict in Bengal came as a major boost for the BJP’s organisation in the state. The party’s election in-charge, Bhupender Yadav, played a key role in spreading the party’s vision and ideology across every corner of West Bengal. In addition, co-incharge Biplab Kumar Deb and the party’s state unit chief, Samik Bhattacharya, mobilised people on the ground in favour of the BJP.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also devoted a significant amount of time to campaigning in West Bengal. With the BJP CM now at the helm, it would be easy for the party to strengthen its organisation in West Bengal.
