NEW DELHI — Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday wrested control of West Bengal, an opposition stronghold, according to partial results from the Election Commission. With at least 124 seats declared in the 294-member assembly and leads in 83 more, the BJP appeared poised to form the next state government; final results were expected later Monday.
The outcome would be a major gain for the BJP, which has long sought to unseat the All India Trinamool Congress government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Banerjee, a vocal critic of Modi who has governed West Bengal since 2011, had never before been displaced by the BJP in the state. Opposition parties criticized the electoral process after the Election Commission removed millions of voters from the rolls.
Results from three other states also shifted regional political balances. In Tamil Nadu, film star Joseph Vijay’s new party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, defeated the ruling DMK, continuing the state’s history of electing movie personalities to high office. In Kerala, the Indian National Congress-led alliance ended a long-standing communist government, while the BJP returned to power in Assam for a third consecutive term.
The state outcomes strengthen Modi’s standing midway through his third term and bolster the BJP’s national position after the 2024 general election, when the party had to rely on regional allies to form a government. Speaking at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, Modi said the result reflected the party’s growing appeal in a state where it has historically struggled and called it a new chapter for Bengal. The gains are also likely to diminish Banerjee’s influence within an opposition bloc already divided by regional rivalries.
India has 28 states and eight federal territories and holds staggered state elections throughout the year. Modi is expected to seek a fourth term in 2029.