The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a historic victory in West Bengal, winning 206 of the state’s 294 assembly seats and ending the Trinamool Congress’s 15-year rule. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lost her own Bhabanipur seat to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared in traditional Bengali attire in Delhi, pledging to build a “Sonar Bangla” and calling the 2026 election a triumph of good governance.

Analysts cited religious polarization, anti-incumbency, and strategic campaigning as key factors behind the BJP’s success. The party’s focus on administrative failures, local issues, and Bengali cultural symbols helped counter the “outsider” label. Trinamool’s image suffered from corruption scandals, unemployment, and local-level extortion. The Election Commission faced allegations from Trinamool of voter list manipulation, which BJP described as a victory for neutrality.

Post-election violence and unrest were reported across the state, prompting deployment of central forces. Discussions have begun over who will become West Bengal’s next chief minister, with several BJP leaders under consideration. The results mark a major political realignment in India, with BJP and its allies also performing strongly in Assam and Puducherry, while new forces rose in Tamil Nadu and Congress regained Kerala.