The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday crossed the majority mark in a breathtaking West Bengal election, derailing Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's ambition of a consecutive fourth term.
According to the Election Commission of India, the BJP is leading on 169 seats, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress on 91, and the CPI(M) on 1.
With this, the BJP is on its way to form the first-ever government in West Bengal, breaching a state that saw Trinamool Congress rule for 15 years and Communist rule for 34 years before that.
West Bengal LoP and BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari, elevated with the party's performance, said, "The BJP will form the government with more than 180 seats."
Taking a jibe at TMC over their performance, he said, “Rone dijiye. Khatam poora khatam.”
“All Hindus are united in favour of Narendra Modi... After four rounds of counting, the BJP is forming its government. Hindu EVMs mean BJP, Muslim EVMs mean TMC, except Malda, Murshidabad and North Dinajpur, where people have voted for Congress,” he added.
The BJP will form the government with more than 180 seats.
West Bengal recorded the highest-ever voter turnout since independence with an impressive 91.66% polling in Phase-II of the Assembly elections. In phase I, the poll participation was 93.19%, taking the combined poll percentage to 92.47%.
In the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election, the Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee secured a decisive mandate, winning 213 out of 294 seats with a vote share of around 48%, while the Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the principal opposition with 77 seats and roughly 38% votes, marking a sharp rise from its previous tally. The Left-Congress alliance failed to win any seats.
