First-time BJP government in West Bengal, end of Trinamool's 15-year rule

Kolkata, 4 May: A new era has begun in West Bengal politics. For the first time in the state's electoral history, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to form a government with a complete majority. This resounding victory has also brought an end to Trinamool's 15-year reign in Bengal.

The BJP has so far won 130 seats in the 294-member state assembly and is leading in 77 seats, making its total tally likely to reach 207. The Trinamool Congress has won only 48 seats and is leading in 32, which means it can win a maximum of 80 seats. The Congress has won two seats, and the All Jharkhand United Party (AJUP) has also won two seats.

Looking at the performance in the previous elections, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool won 22 seats with 43.3% votes, while the BJP won 18 seats with 40.25% votes. However, in the 2021 assembly elections, Trinamool strengthened its grip by winning 213 seats with 47.94% votes, while the BJP was reduced to 77 seats with a 38.13% vote share.

In the recent electoral journey, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool won 29 seats with 46.16% votes, while the BJP won 12 seats with a 39.08% vote share.

The BJP's electoral journey has shown a consistent trend, from winning just three seats in 2016 to 77 in 2021, and now it is on the verge of winning a two-thirds majority in 2026.

In this electoral battlefield, Mamata Banerjee, despite putting in all her might, failed to withstand the anti-incumbency wave and the promise of development. Ultimately, the saffron wave has swept across the state, from the Kolkata headquarters to the far-flung villages, and for the first time, the lotus has bloomed on Bengal's soil.

In this election, several big names from the Mamata government have been defeated. Many of her ministers have faced electoral setbacks.